The Voyage of Dawn's Treader
by aine hathaway
Summary: 3rd installment of the 'Dawn Pevensie' series. Dawn, Lucy and Edmund, along with their cousin Eustace, have returned to Narnia to aid King Caspian X and help him find the Seven missing Lords. Read as they set out on uncharted waters to battle a mysterious green mist and even their own greatest fears and temptations. CaspianXOC
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Have you seen Edmund, Dawnie?"

I spun around to look at my sister. She had changed much in the last year. Her hair was beautifully waved and silky, she was taller and her face slimmer and more defined, her eyes still held their shine. Her figure was beginning to come in as well, which I knew she was self conscious of as I spotted her watching older girls with good-looking boys jealously. I even spied her looking in the mirror back in our room with one of my dresses, I thought it looked lovely but she had quickly put it away when she noticed me. She was even taller than me now, not that I minded being short but soldiers that were in the area seemed to find it oddly attractive and never left me alone. I did what I could to avoid them, wish Caspian was here with me.

Oh, Caspian.

I had been over a year since I had seen him and not a day or night past without me thinking or dreaming of him. Lucy and Edmund noticed how hard it was for me to be away from Narnia, even more than before. Not just because of Caspian but a few weeks after we came back we had all begun to notice including myself that I wasn't well. I was paler and skinnier, my hair lifeless and dull, my eyes were usually a bit red or even bloodshot when I felt quite bad. Lucy was the one to discover what was wrong.

While in Narnia my powers had developed even more, so here with practically no magic in the air and almost impossible to even tap into the Deep Magic, it was taking its toll on me. I was a magical creature, in a world with no magic. I used my magic a little each day even if it was just to hold my hair in a style or to turn the page of a book or even just to shut the window. This seemed to help and eventually I was looking and feeling better but this wasn't until after Susan and Peter had left.

Peter was studying with Professor Kirk but had gone with Susan to meet with our parents. We got the odd letter and telegram but that was all. I was wrong in thinking that being in Narnia again had made us closer, if anything it split us apart. The elder siblings and the younger ones. The three of us were closer but it was hard at times without the older two, it didn't help that Edmund was always trying to go join the-.

"He must be trying to enlist again!"

Lucy seeing I was right, rolled her eyes. Sure, Edmund wasn't that far off eighteen but they would never believe him, they never did. But he kept trying. I never understood why he would want to. Its not like they will be fighting with swords and bows, Edmund has no experience with guns. Our wars back in Narnia are completely different to this one. Bombs, tanks, guns, trenches and lets not forget gas. If anything that's the worst, you can't fight that. I couldn't bare it if I lost my twin brother to his foolish belief that because he has won wars and is brilliant in tactics will help him survive the war. No one would probably listen to his tactic plans he would be just another eighteen year old boy expected to listen and follow.

I brushed down my long, pale cream skirt and fixed the bow that held my cardigan shut. I was wearing a calf length cream dress with one shoulder with three layers of lightly waved fabric going across the neckline. Over it was a brown cardigan and on my feet were a pair of light pink low heeled pumps.

My hair was french twisted across to the left side of my head and into a bun at the back, a pink flower tucked into the side. My worn brown satchel thrown lazily over my shoulder.

I helped Lucy, balance the box that we had our shopping in before we headed off to the nearest enlisting station where we knew for almost certainty, that my twin brother would be there.

Lucy and I entered the large enclosed area which held a long line of men, at the front stood, you guessed it, Edmund who was speaking to several soldiers not that much older than him and I sitting at a table. We couldn't hear what was being said but we didn't really bother to listen, we need to get back to the house with the food.

"Edmund," called Lucy pulling his attention to us as well as all the other men present. Some snickered underneath their hands childishly, "you are supposed to helping us with the groceries."

Edmund glared around at us as the men laughed louder, particularly the man standing behind him, a rather large man with a cocky attitude who ruffled Ed's hair and exclaimed, "better luck next time, ay, squirt!"

I strolled forwards, all of their attention turning to me. I noticed the man who had made fun of Edmund leering at me. Even the soldier sitting at the table glanced me over with a smile before he poised himself, least he wasn't openly watching my every move like the rest had.

I hooked my arm around Edmund's and began to pull him along, "come along, Ed, we must be moving on." Edmund gave an annoyed sigh before walking willingly. A loud whistle was heard from behind us almost causing Ed to spin around but I stopped him and turned, "leave it to me."

I turned and spotted the cocky man had once again making his presence known, "why hang around him, gorgeous? Come have some fun with a real man! A soldier."

I rolled my eyes and scoffed loudly, "You call yourself a real man? A soldier? With that attitude that's never going to happen. And if you ever think you can get a woman such as me, you are way in over your head."

"Why you little b-"

"Is that any way to speak to a lady?" It was the soldier at the table, he had gotten to his feet and was glaring down at the man, "and a particularly lovely one at that."

He then turned to us, "I apologize, dear lady and to you ...good sir. Good day, ma'am."

He hesitated slightly when referring to Edmund but it seemed to brighten him a little at being shown some respect by the soldier.

"Come along Ed, we have somewhere to be."

As we walked out I whispered to both Lucy and Ed, "I wonder how well he is going to do in the army."

Edmund still seemed rather miffed about it all and he said so quite loudly, "Squirt?! He barely had two years on me! And the things he said to you, Dawn. Sick!" He took the box from Lucy as we approached the bikes that Lucy and I had brought, Edmund didn't bring one, he hadn't wanted to use Eustace's bike even if Eustace had let him.

"I'm a King! And Dawns a Queen, she shouldn't be spoken to in such a way! We've fought wars and I've led armies," Edmund went around the back of Lucy's bike and began to attach it to the back while Lucy and I put some stuff into the front baskets.

"Not in this world," reminded Lucy, this made me feel worse. I hated being reminded that we weren't in Narnia and of course, everything around us did that!

This annoyed Edmund as well it seemed as he then said, "yeah, instead I'm stuck here, doing battle with Eustace Clarence Scrubb." At the end of Edmund's complaint a girlish giggle was heard from nearby catching Lucy's and my attention.

There stood a pretty blond girl with a young soldier, flirting with each other. The girl pushed some hair behind her ear, something I remember Caspian had usually done to me, he had admitted once that he had a fascination with my hair. He had simply loved it, we would sit together and if he was reading to me or I to him or just reading in general, he would constantly play with my hair, not that I minded the slightest bit. Everything seemed to remind me of him also.

"If anyone so deserves a name," spoke Edmund but Lucy and I weren't really listening.

I looked back to Lucy and Edmund trying to ignore the couple ahead of us, spotting Lucy doing a similar action, brushing her hand back across her cheek and pushing her hair behind her ear. I smiled sadly at her. Edmund noticed this action too, "what are you doing?"

Lucy smiled stiffly before turning her head to look at Edmund in slight shock before exclaiming quickly, "nothing!" She grabbed her bike and began to walk, "come on then!" I took hold of my own bike and followed behind. Edmund glanced behind us, still wondering what Lucy had been looking at.

"We're home!" called Lucy as we walked through the door, "hello?"

Lucy left Edmund and I to put away the bikes as she strolled inside with the groceries. She had just entered the living room and was heading for the kitchen when I came inside, our uncle sat on the armchair with the newspaper open as usual.

"Hello, Uncle Harold. I tried to find some carrots but all they had were turnips again. Should I start making soup, Aunt Berta's on her way home." Uncle Harold just continued to flick through the newspaper as though he didn't hear her.

"Uncle Harold," I called trying to get him to answer. Edmund stuck his tongue out at our uncle in annoyance which I would have giggled at quietly, but we were interrupted by an irritating voice that belonged to our short, even more irritating cousin, Eustace. Talk about Eustace the useless, all he ever did was write in his diary, torture poor little insects, stuff his face with sweets and complain about having to share his things with his 'dreadful and small minded' cousins. I bet that was what he had been doing right before we came in the door.

"Father!" Edmund and I spun around to glare at him, the little rat of boy glanced at us before calling out, "Edmund's making faces at you!" He then brought up a little cardboard cylinder, blew through it hitting Edmund in the neck with a little projectile.

This just pissed Edmund off further and he was already in a bad mood today. He grabbed a hold of the banister and used it for leverage so he could spin around on to the stairs after Eustace calling out angrily, "Why you little!"

Eustace seeing what Edmund was going to do crouched down like a coward and called out, "Father, he's going to hit me!"

Edmund was about to do just that and I wasn't about to stop but Lucy came skipping into the hallway next to me holding up an envelope, "Edmund, Dawn! Look! It's from Susan!"

Edmund pushed Eustace aside as we all ran up the stairs to read the letter int he privacy of Lucy's and my shared bedroom.

Lucy opened it and began to read it to us, "Dear Edmund, Dawn and Lucy. I so wish you were here with us, its been such an adventure. Though nothing like our times in Narnia. America is very exciting but we never see father. He works so very hard."

"I was invited to the British Consul's tea party this week by a Naval Officer, who happens to be very handsome. I think he fancies me."

Lucy seemed rather annoyed with this and uncomfortable. I rolled my eyes at Susan's comment trying to perk up Lucy, "of course she does." It made Lucy smile a little and continue.

Edmund had gotten up off the bed from the other side of Lucy and had approached a painting of a ship on the ocean that hung on our wall, inspecting it closely.

"It seems that the Germans have made the crossing difficult, right now. Times are hard. Mother hopes you won't mind another few months in Cambridge."

I groaned and fell back on Lucy's bed, hitting my head against the wall with a loud thud! That just worsened my mood even more. Edmund had shot around and strode towards Lucy to read the sentence for himself while Lucy exclaimed in exasperation, "another few months?!"

"How will we survive?" I asked rubbing the back of my head and soothing the pain with a little bit of magic which quickly took hold.

Edmund took the letter from a frozen Lucy and said, "you two are lucky! Least you have a room together while I'm stuck with mullet mouth."

"I can only imagine, " I said getting up and leaning back against the chest of drawers pressed against the wall, near my own metal framed bed. Lucy also got up, "Peter and Susan are the lucky ones, off on adventures!"

"Yeah, they're the oldest and we're the youngest," spoke Edmund, "we don't matter as much." Lucy stood in front if the mirror for a moment, "do you think I'll look anything like Susan or... Dawn?" I looked up at her in surprise, I know Susan was pretty and attracted a lot of attention but Lucy couldn't believe that she wasn't pretty, could she? I thought she was much prettier than our older sister and she had much prettier personality too!

"Why look like Susan when you are much prettier!" I complimented her. She gave me a small grateful smile but I could tell she didn't believe me.

Edmund tossed the letter down on the bed next to him before pushing himself up again, "have either of you seen this ship before?" Lucy and I turned to look at it, both of us smiling, though mine was a more sad and longing smile.

"Yes! It's very Narnian looking, isn't it?" said Lucy as we joined Edmund in studying the painting. It was beautiful and it looked as though the waves were actually moving and crashing around the ship that could be seen off to one side.

"Yeah, just another reminder that we're here and not there."

"Tell me about it," I groaned.

"There once were three orphans, wasting their time. Believing in Narnian nursery rhymes." There was that irritating voice again, this time it was coming from the door that was now wide open. He needs to check his dictionary, orphans had lost both parents and we had both of them just not in the same country.

"Please let me hit him!" growled Edmund.

While Lucy called out "no", I said, "I have no objections." It was times like these that you knew Edmund and I were twins. Lucy had grabbed his arm to stop his advance and Eustace who had flinched back a step. He was weak and short and my brother was tall, strong and skilled, he had no chance against him and he knew it.

"Don't you ever knock?" asked Edmund irritably.

Eustace shrugged and replied snarkily, "its my house. I'll do as I please. You're just guests!"

I scoffed, "exactly, we're guests. You're our host. You're supposed to be kind, courteous and welcoming... I have seen NONE of that while we have been here!" He is the rudest most self centered boy there has ever lived.

He sent me a rude glare before walking in and settling himself down on Lucy's bed while we went back to looking at the painting and thinking back over the wonderful times we had shared in the land it so much reminded us off. I could practically smell the salt water, feel the wind and mist brushing against my cheeks and hear the crashing and curling of the waves. A strange warmth began to fill my entire being. It was a familiar feeling.

One I hadn't felt in about three months. The Deep Magic seemed to be strengthening inside me, sending a sharp tingle up my spin and through all my nerves sending them all alight with excitement. It happened every now and then giving my magic a little boost but this time felt a little different.

"Whats so interesting about that picture anyway?" asked Eustace, "it's hideous."

"You won't see it from the other side of the door," remarked Edmund, wanting Eustace so much to be out of the room and out of our lives.

"Edmund, Dawn, it looks as though the water is actually moving," sighed Lucy.

I smiled, "I was just thinking that, Lu. Can't you smell the water? Hear the waves?" Lucy looked at me slightly surprised but pleased before looking back to it.

"What rubbish! That's what happens when you read all of those fanciful novels and fairy tales of yours!"

"There once was a boy named Eustace," spoke Edmund.

"-who read books with facts that were useless!" I finished. Lucy giggled out our little rhyme.

"People who read fairy tales are always the sort who become a hideous burden on people like me who read books with real information!" he retorted at us.

"Hideous burden?!" exclaimed Edmund glaring down at Eustace who shot to his feet.

I spun around and spoke sharply, "I'm sure you didn't think that when I spotted you looking through the window when I was getting ready to go to the fancy business dinner with your mother and father that you weren't allowed go to!" This caused Edmund to try and hit him, "what?! You were watching my sister?!" Eustace stuttered, I knew he had been trying to sneak into our room to wreck it and make us look bad but I had caught him and it had made him look terrible, the scolding he got from his mother was amazing.

"And I haven't seen you lift a finger, since we got here!" cried Edmund as Eustace looked for an escape. He tried to go out the door but Edmund shut it quickly with one hand and held it shut.

"I have a mind to tell your father it was you who stole Aunt Alberta's sweets!" stated Edmund proudly.

"Liar!"

"Oh, really?"

I had been watching their fight with amusement until I began to hear water running and when Lucy said, "Edmund, the painting!" I shot around.

Water was trickling out of the edges and falling down onto the floor causing a large puddle which was spreading quickly and more water was leaking through.

Magic.

Edmund wasn't listening to Lucy and continued to taunt Eustace.

"I found them under you bed, and you know what? I licked everyone of them!"

Eustace cried out in disgust.

The waves were moving! The water splashed out, slapping both Lucy and I in the face with a cold spray of salt water causing us to gasp loudly. The ship that had once been quiet far in the distance was getting closer and closer to us as more water continued to cascade down to the floor beneath us, soaking our shoes.

Finally, Edmund and Eustace had realized that something was happening as they had also been hit by the water and they both spun around with expressions of complete shock.

"Whats going on here?!" questioned Eustace slightly panicked.

"Lucy, Dawn!" spoke Edmund.

"Stop it or I'll tell mother!" cried Eustace before running to the door and beginning to yell out.

The three of us stood there, letting the water rise up until it was almost coming from half of the painting. I could feel my magic getting stronger with every second that passed. I was feeling whole again.

Our joy was spoiled by Eustace who dashed forward towards the painting, "I'll just smash the old thing." He took hold of both its sides as we tried to stop him. The water rushed out, covering our whole bodies, soaking us to the skin and sticking our hair to our heads as we all yelled out and complained as we tried to make Eustace let go. A lot of water went in my mouth and it was too late when I figured I should stop talking until we finally let go. A horrible taste of salt water filled my mouth and I did my best to spit it out, trying to breath normally but it was near impossible after swallowing so much of the water.

We threw the painting down onto the ground, or at least, what should have been the floor but the room was completely filled with water up to our knees and was still rising. Edmund lost his balance and disappeared under the water. Lucy, Eustace and I were quick to follow and as the water continued to rise and we neared the ceiling, we did our best to get as much oxygen in as possible before finally we were engulfed in the water.

I tried to think of some spell that would help us breath, to create an air bubble around our heads would be useful but already my head felt like it was about to explode. At first all our furniture from the room floated around us but it disappeared and so did the walls and we were in a large body of water. We all small upwards in hope of finding some surface for air to breath. A light was coming from above so we quickly all headed up.

I broke the surface to the sound of Lucy and Edmund calling my name. We were all spread a bit apart in the... ocean?! I tried to rub my eyes while trying to swim towards my family but it was hard and just made the stinging worse.

As we tried to keep our heads above the water, shouts from behind us caused us to turn. There was a large, magnificent ship heading our way, it was the one from the painting! I spotted several heads of people leaning over the sides at the front of the ship and pointing in our direction yelling back to the other sailors.

"Lucy!" I called out, seeing she was very close to the ship, she swam backwards at my warning and ended up nearer to Edmund. The front of the ship was a huge, green and gold dragon and it was heading right for us!

"Come on Dawn, Lucy! Swim!" cried Edmund and we quickly followed his orders. The three of us (and Eustace but I hadn't really noticed him yet) swam as fast as our arms and legs could push us compared to the large ship following close behind.

Loud splashes from behind us were heard and when I went to look a large wave crashed over my head sending me unexpectedly under the water swallowing even more salt water in shock.

I suddenly felt warm, strong arms lift me up above the surface and hold me tightly against them as a familiar voice soothed me, "it's all right. I've got you."

Turning my head I saw Caspian and I was amazed and over joyed, "Caspian!" I cried throwing my arms around his neck as he laughed and tightened his hold on me while kicking hard with his legs to keep us afloat. "Oh, how I have I missed you, Dawn!" I freed Caspian from my rib breaking hold and called out to my siblings, "Edmund, Lucy! It's Caspian!" Caspian began to swim with me towards the large ship.

A voice from behind me was heard, "calm down boys, ma'am, your safe now."

"Are we in Narnia?" called Ed as he swam forward and Lucy was helped along by one of the sailors who had jumped in to help us.

"Yes, your in Narnia!" laughed Caspian in reply.

Eustace's complaints began right away as we heard him crying out desperately, "I wanna go back to England! I'm going back to England!" Another poor sailor was doing his best dragging the boy through the water.

Caspian helped me stand on something in the water that was attached to ropes above us to the ship. He wrapped his arm around my waist while holding onto a rope with his other and advised me to do the same, "hold on." I gripped the hand that was on my waist tightly as well as the one on the rope, so glad to back in Narnia again.

Caspian and I were pulled onto the ship by two men who used hooks to pull the platform we were on towards them. As we stepped off together cheers broke out throughout the crew who were made up of both men and Narnians. Lucy soon joined us also to cheers. Caspian never left my side. Caspian wrapped a towel around each of us before wrapping his arms around the two of us and asking happily, "how in the world did you two end up here?" Lucy and I laughed as we heard Edmund's voice, "Caspian!"

Caspian ran towards our brother and wrapped another towel around him, "its good to see you." "And it is good to see you!"

Caspian quickly moved to my side and wrapped his arm back around me, rubbing my arms through the towel to help dry me off.

"Didn't you call for us?" asked Lucy.

Caspian looked to all of us before saying, "no. Not this time."

Caspian beamed down at me anyway as Edmund exclaimed happily, "well, whatever the case I'm just glad to be here!"

A loud, frantic screaming reached our ears from behind us. Eustace.

He was surrounded by crewmen while tossing around yelling, "get that thing off me!" over and over again. He eventually tossed whatever it was across the wet deck in our direction and I beamed when I saw that it was in fact, our old friend, Reepicheep.

"Reepicheep!" exclaimed Lucy excitedly.

The mouse that was quite wet with his fur all spiked around him, spotted us and tried to tidy himself up a little, "oh, your majesties!" He fell into a low bow in respect.

"Hello, Reep! What a pleasure" greeted Edmund kindly.

"The pleasure is all mine, sir!"

"Good to see that your new tail is working well for you," I exclaimed.

Reepicheep practically exploded with pride at this, "why yes my tail is the envy of all Narnian mice, indeed! But first, what to do with this hysterical interloper." He was obviously referring to Eustace.

Eustace who was on his hands and knees turned around and pointed in Reep's direction and cried, "that giant rat THING just tried to bite my face off!" I shook my head at our foolish cousin. It was like he had never gotten CPR from a mouse before.

"I was merely trying to expel the water from your lungs, sir," explained Reep coolly.

Eustace was shocked beyond belief and used the edge of the ship to pull himself up onto his feet as he stared around at us and at Reep in terror. He pointed once again at Reepicheep and cried, "It talked! Did you see?! Did anyone just hear that?! It just talked!"

This caused a round of laughter from the crew one of them saying, "he always talks."

To which Caspian exclaimed, "it's actually getting him to shut up that's the trick!" This caused more laughter and a shout of "Caspian" from me in shocked-amusement before I hit his arm playfully as those around us laughed at what their King had said.

Reep glanced over his shoulder at Caspian and spoke, "The moment there is nothing to be said, your Majesty, I promise I won't say it." I rolled my eyes at Reep's strange ways. Caspian just smiled down at the mouse in humor, as he then leaned down and kissed my temple.

"Have you gotten shorter?" he asked which caused more laughs and a blush from me and Caspian having to dodge my hand as I tried to hit him again.

Eustace ruined our sweet moment as he yelled out, "I don't know what kind of prank this is. But I want to wake up right now!"

While he continued to shout and complain, Reepicheep turned to us and said, "perhaps we could throw him back?"

Edmund and I thought about then shared a look of agreement before looking to Lucy who gasped in shock and hit us both, "Edmund! Dawn!" This just made us laugh.

Eustace who was now practically in tears ran over to the other side of the ship and yelled at a group of crewmen, "I want to know where in the blazes am I?!"

A large Minotaur taking pity on the boy strode forward, "You're on the Dawn Treader. The finest and the first built ship in Narnia's navy." Instead of having a positive effect on Eustace, well for Eustace anyway it was rather positive for us as we didn't have to listen to him anymore, he fainted.

This caused great laughter amongst the crew. Caspian approached the minotaur, not letting go of my hand as he pulled me along, not willing to let go of me for a second.

The Minotaur turned around and looked at his King, "was it something I said?" Making both of us laugh quietly as Caspian replied, "see to him will you."

The Minotaur nodded, "your Majesty" before turning to pick up Eustace.

Wait, what had he said?

Where were we?

On the ... Dawn Treader...

The ... Dawn... Treader.

Seriously!

Of course.

Caspian!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Before I even had the chance to say anything concerning the ship's name, Caspian was already jogging ahead of us and called out for attention, "men!"

The crew quickly dropped all conversations to listen to their King. Caspian stood on the steps up to the wheel of the ship. He stared around at all of us as he spoke, "behold our castaways, Dawn the Enchanting, Edmund the Just and Lucy the Valiant. The High Queen, High King and Queen of Narnia."

As one the crew dropped to one knee which caused us to smile at the sight and the feeling of pure respect from everyone aboard.

* * *

><p>We were led down into the ship, Caspian wanted us to change out of our wet clothes. Sadly for Lucy and I, there were no women's clothes so Caspian sorted us out with some of his. I had offered to Lucy to edit them using magic but she said she just wanted help with the sizing. I, on the other hand made completely new clothes out of some old materials. Caspian and Edmund re-joined us in the room after we had dressed and glanced at my clothes questioningly for a few moments before shaking their heads, neither of them needing to ask where they came from.<p>

Lucy, Edmund, Caspian and I were now out of our wet clothes. Lucy dressed in a white shirt with a red embodied over tunic and a pair of brown pants which were held up by a tight brown belt wrapped around her waist, her simply tied to one side, her hair had curled slightly ow that it had dried.

Edmund was wearing a slightly grey shirt with a light brown waist coat and a dark brown, leather sleeveless overjacket with some brown trousers and boots.

Caspian was dress in a handsome silk, purple shirt with a long, wine coloured overcoat with brown slacks with a gold belt around his waist. I finally got a good look at him, his hair was longer and he was definitely a few years older. He was taller as I had already noticed and he was growing a beard which oddly suited him and gave him a more rugged appearance. It also made him look older and more mature, less boyish than he had last time we had been in Narnia. He seemed to almost glow and he seemed excited and overjoyed. His expression never seeming to dim.

All in all, he looked good. Better than good.

I like Lucy was wearing a white shirt though mine wasn't as large or long and had gold detailing. Over it I wore a brown leather corset and jacket with several belts attached along with a brown and reddish-brown skirt that stopped just above my knees. On my hands were fingerless leather gloves and my feet were covered by a magically shrunken pair of Caspian's boots. I had done that same for Lucy as our feet were much smaller than any of the mens' on board the ship. I quickly, with the help of my magic, braided my hair across the back of my head into a bun in a strange four-rowed, over-and-under style.

"Come, there is much for us to discuss," stated Caspian. He took my hand and led us out of the room now that we were all ready and dressed for the voyage.

Caspian led us through several narrow hallways before opening two large wooden doors each set with stained glass windows near the top and walked inside with us right on his heels as we stared around at the room in wonder.

Edmund turned to close the doors once were all inside while Lucy and I began to explore. There were paintings all along any bit of free wall but the first thing that caught our eye was a large golden sculpture of Aslan. Lucy grazed her fingers across it wistfully as she sighed, "Aslan." I placed my hand on her shoulder and we shared a small smile. Underneath it was Susan's horn which was on a small stand.

We both smiled at Caspian who was watching us with warm brown eyes. Edmund moved to inspect a painting next to where Caspian stood while Lucy walked over to the other side of the room. I was studying the tall cabinets near the doors which held large scrolls and books, many of which appeared to be different maps and drawings and tales of the sea. I couldn't help but wonder how the things out to the Eastern Sea had changed since our time. Did the people still hold their many festivals and celebrations? Did everyone still spend their mornings strolling or working at the markets in along the streets or in the town square? Did the Lord of the Lone Islands still visit the orphanage on the west side of square and bring food and toys for them? Or had everything changed.

Lucy's voice broke me from my thoughts, "hey, look! It's Susan's bow and arrows!" I turned to look and saw she was right.

"Lucy," called Caspian. He was taking what appeared to be a small wooden box from a cupboard. We both immediately saw what was inside.

"My healing cordial and dagger!" she exclaimed happily as she made her way over to the man. He reached out for them but pulled back and asked, "oh, may I?"

Caspian smiled at her fondly before offering the box to her, "of course, they're yours." Lucy didn't waste a moment of time taking her belt and settling it around her waist where it belonged.

Edmund then pointed out Peter's sword which he had given to Caspian what felt like years ago. Caspian set down the wooden box and approached the sword with Edmund and taking it down, "looked after as promised." He took the sword off the hook on which it hung for quick and easy access and offered it out to Edmund, "here, hold it if you wish." But Edmund quickly declined but I could tell that he so much wished to say yes to him, "uh, no, no. It's yours. Peter gave it to you."

Caspian gave a soft nod before turning away, his coat swishing around him as he did, the sword still in hand.

"I did save this for you, though." Caspian opened a small glass cabinet and took out Edmund's torch. I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me at Edmund's expression. Caspian tossed it to him and easily caught it and said, "thanks" before turning it on and stupidly blinding himself for a moment with it.

Caspian then turned his attention to me, a small smile set on his lips. He placed the sword down on a nearby table before stretching out his hand, "will you come with me for a moment?" I shared a look with my siblings who nodded and shrugged before going back to doing whatever.

I placed my hand in Caspian's who opened the doors again and led me down the hall a little way to another set of double doors, this room was right next to where Caspian had let Lucy and I change. It was a beautiful large room (for being on a ship anyway) with a bed built into one wall. This must be Caspian's bed chambers.

I glanced around, it was similar in style to room that we had left Lucy and Edmund in. Caspian hadn't let go of my hand and led my over in the direction of the bed. I watched him curiously for moment. He sat me on the bed and kneeled in front of me, holding both of my hands firmly in his as he stared intently into my eyes. He seemed to be taking in every little detail of my face, trying to see what had changed and what hadn't.

"Lie down," he ordered."

My face went rather red, my mouth falling open slightly as I managed to choke out, "wh-what?" Had this handsome man – King – just asked me to lie down on his bed? I believe he had. I felt nervous, yes, I trusted this man with my heart, soul and body but I couldn't stop the shiver that ran up my spine.

"Trust me," he said with a smile, "close your eyes and lie back."

I trusted Caspian with my everything I had and so I closed my eyes and shakily let go of his hands but he quickly held them again and moved them with me so as I moved back he wouldn't have to let go of my fingers. I was completely vulnerable to Caspian with my eyes closed and my hands held firm but my magic reassured me that I was safe and there was nothing to worry about. Even my magic trusted Caspian.

I felt my back eventually meet the softness of the sheets and sink into them. It was like floating on clouds and it was no surprise that this was a King's bed by how comfortable it was. I could feel Caspian leaning over me and I dared not open my eyes, as I felt him loom over me, his long hair tickling and grazing along my cheeks as he leaned down, he pressed a soft kiss to my cheek before whispering, "open your eyes." Caspian had moved to lie next to me and I saw exactly what he had brought me here for.

Hanging from the ceiling above the bed was none other than my moon staff. The moon still perfectly polished and glittering in the light shining in from the far windows.

I turned my head to look at Caspian, he was already watching me closely, his face so close to mine I could feel his warm breath encasing my face and causing my cheeks to redden even more.

"I had it put there so it would be the last thing I would see every night and the first thing I would see every morning. I wish that I had been seeing you but it was as close as I was going to get."

I was shocked. He had just clearly told me that he wished to wake up to me every morning and sleep together each night. I didn't notice that tears were streaking down my face and falling onto the bed until Caspian wiped some off from under my eyes.

"I have missed you so much. I prayed every day that you would come back to me and now you're here. It took a little longer than I had wanted but I am just glad you are finally back. Hopefully to stay."

I beamed at him through my tear blurred eyes, "nothing could keep me away."

* * *

><p>After a few moments silence and me, trying to pull myself together and hide any signs that I had been crying, Caspian got down my staff and strapped it to my back for me. I also noticed how he stood much closer than need be as he buckled the straps across my chest and I noticed a small blush on his cheeks as his right hand 'accidentally' grazed across my chest.<p>

"Come we must be going, Drinian will be with your brother and sister by now." I didn't get a chance to ask who Drinian was before we were back down the corridor,I suppose I was about to find out. Just as we were nearing the door and we head soft voices from inside, Caspian stopped dead, almost causing me to slam right into his back if i hadn't thrown both my hands out to stop myself. My palms and fingers pressed firmly in between his shoulder blades.

Caspian turned back to me, his eyes a familiar dark brown almost black. He picked me up in his arms and pressed me against the wall his face unreadable and his lips held in a firm line. The voices from the room only footsteps away seemed to disappear or were at least drowned out by the sound of my heart thumping madly in ears. It had been over a year since Caspian had kissed me, since anyone had kissed me. I noticed now that we were so close together that Caspian still carried that woodsy and warm smell but now it was laced with salt water from the ocean which suited him well, I could practically taste his scent on the tip of my tongue. I just hoped no one came out of that room or came down the corridor to see us in this compromising position.

Before I had any more time to assess the situation Caspian's mouth was on mine and my mind went completely blank. All I could think of was Caspian's lips moving against mine in a perfect combination like we hadn't been apart for almost two years on my part who knows how long it had been for Caspian. His hands were firmly pressing into my thighs through my skirt which had been bunch up to near my hips by Caspian standing in between them. He took advantage of the wall behind us, pressing me more firmly against it so he could use his hands more. He wrapped my legs around his waist and then placed one hand upon my ribcage, the other on the side of my neck, forcing me to tilt my head to give him more access to my mouth as his tongue forced its way past my lips and into my mouth not that I objected in anyway. Caspian was very controlling when it came to intimacy and I quite liked it but when he was soft it was amazing, there were many sides to him and I got to see them all. Being this such a medieval land, this was a quite a scandalous thing to be doing but that wasn't going to stop us.

My hands were firmly tangled in his long brown hair, pulling and tugging every so often, causing the odd moan to escape the King's mouth sending small vibrations against my lips and into my mouth. His stubbled beard scratched against my cheeks but only added to the passion of the kiss. Eventually I had to pull Caspian back using his hair so that I could breath. It seemed Caspian could go slightly longer than I without air but that didn't mean that he wasn't breathing heavily.

I was sure that I was bright red and I was gasping for air after what had happened.

"Where.. did that.. come.. from?!" I managed to gasp.

Caspian gave a laugh as he let me back onto my feet which were rather shaky and unbalanced, "I have been meaning to do that since I saw it was you in the water."

I shook my head before I began to trying and tidy myself up a little while Caspian did the same. We didn't want to walk in there like we had just made out against the wall, even if that was what we had done, but we were royal, we had to act like it.

We re-entered the room together to find the bald man that had been standing above us out on the deck in the room with Lucy and Edmund, talking about where they had just come from and where they were at the moment. I suppose this was Drinian. He gave off a wise and kind aura so I knew we could trust him. I saw Caspian smile at him and stride over in the man's direction and grasping his arm firmly as though they were brothers.

"Your highness," greeted Drinian.

"Captain, shall we?" spoke Caspian as they moved to a large table that had a map spread out across it, gesturing for us to follow them.

Caspian began to speak of his reign. Three years had passed for him. Three whole years. I couldn't even begin to imagine the agony if I had had to been forced to wait three years. I hadn't even waited two!

"Since you left us, the giants of the North have surrendered unconditionally," spoke Caspian pointing to the North of the map off in the corner to the land where most of the Giant population resided. He then moved his fingers down the edge of the map, "and we defeated the Calormen armies at the Great Desert."

He leaned against the table looking at my siblings and I who all stood on the other side of the table with me in the middle of them. Drinian stood to our right at the end of the table.

Caspian looked up at us from the map, "there is peace across all of Narnia."

"Peace?!" exclaimed Edmund in surprise, though I could tell he was quite impressed.

"In just three years," finished Caspian.

I smiled widely at him, "I am so proud of you Caspian! To think, you thought you weren't ready when you are in fact on your way if not already there to creating a new Golden Age of Narnia."

Caspian's face lit up once again as we gazed at one another completely forgetting about everyone else in the room until Lucy spoke up her elbow just happened to hit my ribs as she brushed her hair behind her ear with her other hand, "And have you found yourself a queen in those three years?"

Caspian smiled at her noticing her sly and cunning topic, "I think so." The whole room seemed to fill with shock before Caspian continued, "I am quite pleased that she has now been returned to me after those three years." He reached across the table and caressed my cheek softly in his palm.

Edmund glared at him and gave a loud -fake- cough before saying, "so if there are no wars to fight and no ones in trouble... then why are we here?" Caspian sighed and glanced around as he said, "that is a good question. I have been asking myself the same thing."

It was only then did I notice the many drawings of men pinned to the wall behind Caspian but I didn't ask as Edmund asked, "so where are we sailing?"

Caspian answered, "before I took back the throne from my uncle, he tried to kill my father's closest friends and most loyal supporters." He turned to look at the wall behind them studying each picture in turn, so these were friends of his father. I moved around the table with Edmund to stand next to Caspian.

"The Seven Lords of Telmar. The fled to the Lone Islands. No one has heard from the since."

Edmund had approached the drawings and turned back to us, "so you think somethings happened to them."

Caspian sat back against the table, wrapping an arm around my waist as he spoke, "well if it has, it's my duty to find out."

"Well what's east of the Lone Islands?" asked Lucy as she stared down at the map.

"Uncharted waters," replied Captain Drinian, "things you can barely imagine. Tales of Sea serpents and worse."

Edmund scoffed, "Sea serpents?!" I laughed as well, it wasn't possible. That was just going too far.

"All right, Captain. That's enough of your tall tales." Caspian lifted an apple from his desk and took a large bite out of it.

I raised my hand, "I have a question that I really want an answer to!"

I now had everyone's attention and I was going to have fun with it.

"Yes, your majesty?" asked Drinian curiously.

"Whats up with the ships name?"

Caspian's face immediately went quite pink as did his ears which I thought looked rather cute, he seemed to almost start choking on his apple while Drinian also began to give a slight cough but his seemed to be trying to hide a laugh at which he was failing.

"Ah, yes. The Dawn Treader. The first ship built for the Navy and the finest. So named by the King himself."

"Yes.. I believe it was a good name," spoke Caspian trying to keep his expression calm and relaxed while Lucy was giggling away behind her hand and Edmund who was now leaning back against the wall had gone quite pale and his lips were pull together in tight line in slight annoyance.

"Though I do remember the King wished to simple call the ship, The Dawn. But we thought it a bit too obvious where he got it from so we added on 'Treader' which also had quite a ring to it."

Caspian now held a hard and playful glare on Drinian at the moment, "Captain!" Drinian smirked at his King, "yes, sir?"

"I am quite certain you are needed on deck!" Drinian bowed and left the room laughing quietly to himself and we all heard him mutter to himself fondly, "lovestruck fool."

I smiled and turned to Caspian, Lucy had grabbed Edmund and practically dragged him out of the room after Drinian and up onto deck. Edmund didn't seem to want to leave but after a dark glare from me that I had learned from our mother, Edmund went running.

Caspian sighed, "I thought if I named the ship after you, it would bring us luck. Stupid, I know. Trumpkin laughed at me for days afterwards. Probably still is."

I smiled and walked slowly to him, each step seeming to be slower then the last as I cut across the room to Caspian once again. He had let his head fall to supposedly study the map once again. I placed my hand on his chin and forced his gaze to mine.

"It is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me."

With that said, I rewarded him with a kiss.

* * *

><p>After several moments spent alone in the study, Caspian and I made our way up onto the deck where he led me to Drinian who was steering the ship and calling out orders to the many crewman. He didn't have to do this often it seemed as they were all quite used to the work and knew exactly what to do and when to do it. It was rather impressive and seemed rather complicated. It was much easier when we lived in Narnia and wished to go across the sea. But then magic was a wonderful thing so it was easier.<p>

Caspian tried to explain it all but eventually he realised that I was a lost cause but Edmund was quite interested in the topic and Caspian happily explained on. I ended up starting a conversation with Drinian who was a kind, wise man and had known Caspian's father. He was a good man and seemed rather fond of his Narnian and Telmarine crew, treating them all equally. I couldn't help but wonder how things were back on the mainland with the two cultures coming together.

"It was quite difficult at first. Once your family left, the Narnians became a bit reserved for a time, the Telmarines weren't much better," explained Drinian.

"I can understand that, it was how you were all living for many years. All of that can't be completely turned around and forgotten in just a short time, it takes years of rebuilding."

Drinian smiled at me, seeming to agree with me, "Telmarines were wary and were quite hostile there were also some attacks on some Narnian families but the King quickly set the law, this seemed to show the Narnians that things had changed. Interestingly enough it was the children who truly began to bond together."

I laughed, remembering when I had gotten some Narnian and Telmarine children playing together.

"It is not all that surprising to me, children are usually pure and innocent creatures, blind to the prejudice and pride of their elders. All they see is someone their size willing to play, they don't care about the differences on the outside, usually. Though sadly its not true for all, some children can be cruel."

Drinian nodded sadly, "quite true, your majesty. You sound as if you speak from experience."

"I suppose. Nothing ever too bad. A bit of name calling, being ignored or left out. Just because you're different. It was a good thing I never showed my magic there, would have made it a whole lot worse."

He seemed shocked by this, "show your magic? But didn't you? It is a gift. One that is highly treasured and to be respected."

I laughed coldly, "not there. I would have been seen as a freak, something for them to fear. So I had to hide the true me, all my life. Magic was I was, who I am. Growing up like that was hard but I knew deep down that things would get better. I would find somewhere that I could be free and I have."

"You are a strong woman, your majesty."

"Thank you, Captain."

There was silence for a while, well as much silence as there could be on ship full of men on the ocean. I watched as Caspian and Edmund spoke together enthusiastically. It looked as though the two were brothers and they could probably pass for it. Edmund and Peter had hardly ever looked this close, nearly always arguing and it had been hard to watch. Edmund had very few friends back in England so I was glad to see him like this.

Caspian seemed relaxed and at peace with himself unlike last time when he was still in a young state of mind, terrified of becoming King and the responsibilities and the up-coming battles. Now he was certain of who he was and there was a new aura of confidence surrounding him. It was the good kind, not arrogant or cocky like most but he was just confident in his beliefs and what he knew to be right. It made me all the more proud of the man that he had become and was continuing to become. I could see just by the relationship he had with his crew and the state and atmosphere of the men that the Kingdom was flourishing under Caspian's rule.

"The King has missed you greatly, it was hard at times I noticed."

I turned to Drinian at his sudden remark, "I missed him too."

"The show you and the King put on before your departure was the talk of the kingdom for months, some people still bring it up but everyone saw how hard it was for him to hear about you. Even just your name seemed to break his heart, that love is strong."

I smiled looking out across the ship, spotting what looked to be Lucy at the Bow of the ship, remembering when someone said something quite similar to Drinian's last sentence, a great and powerful someone. "I know it is, if I return after three years with no word or sign and he still loves me like he did before like we were together this whole time, I know that his love is true."

"Just as your's is for him?" I could tell he wished to know the answer and his shoulders had tensed slightly his hands gripping the ships wheel so tightly that his knuckles had turned white.

"Just as my love is for him."

The man relaxed and sighed, a small smile on his face, "I am glad to hear it. Every King needs a Queen to help him rule. A King can only last so long without one."

With that Drinian fell silent again as he was approached by a crewman. I thought over what he had just said as I watched Caspian talk with Edmund. I pushed it out of my mind and decided to go join Lucy at the Bow of the ship, not knowing how much longer Caspian and Edmund were going to be. They would eventually follow.

"Lucy!" I called as I approached her. I spotted Reepicheep standing on the edge of the Figurehead of the ship, the Dragon. I suppose Lucy had been talking to him while I had been speaking with Drinian.

"Dawn, come look!"

I skipped over to her side at a leisurely pace and leaned over the edge a little to see what she was beaming at. Woman seeming to made of water with tails instead of legs.

"Mermaids!" I exclaimed happily as we waved at them. They were such beautiful and magical creatures and their voices were almost as enchanting as that of a Phoenix. Unlike what Drinian and his crewmen believed of them dragging men under the depths of the ocean and drowning them, they were very sweet and peaceful people. The ones you had to look out for were sirens, which were cruel and malicious, very seductive and used it to their advantage. Fortunately on weak minded men, their powers didn't work on men who already loved a woman, men who were strong willed or women themselves. That was one of the reasons I was so glad I was born female.

Thankfully we had only run into a siren a couple of times back in the Golden Age, Edmund was fine thankfully he had learned from his dealings with the White Witch. Peter didn't appear to be as strong willed as our other brother but we were there to keep him out of harms way.

Lucy and I waved enthusiastically down at the mermaids who returned the gesture playfully as they flipped and splashed in the water below. Seeming to almost be dancing along the surface before returning to the deeper parts of their ocean home.

Lucy and I shared a smile before Lucy asked, "where's Edmund?"

I shrugged and said with a laugh, "with Caspian. They are 'bonding'."

Lucy laughed as well, "it could be worse, you know. Ed is pretty protective of you eventually it's all going to catch up on him and he is going to freak out on Caspian for liking you."

I rolled my eyes, knowing perfectly well how protective my older twin brother was.

"If it's either sooner or later, I think I'll choose later."

Lucy grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the Bow and back up the ship to where some of the crewmen were gathering. I spotted Caspian and Edmund swinging swords around a few feet away from each other. They were about to duel.

"Oh, they started early."

Lucy and I giggled together before finding somewhere we could watch the two males spar.

"I wonder who will win," spoke Lucy.

"Edmund is very good with a sword but Caspian's older and stronger and Ed hasn't held a sword in over a year." Lucy nodded agreeing with me, but we knew it was going to be a god fight.

The fight began and quickly Caspian got the upper hand pushing Edmund back along the deck. The cheers of the men and Narnians was infectious and joyful as they watched the two Kings battle. The two young men both had smirks on their faces but you could see their eyes were ever watching and calculating each move. Edmund pushed Caspian back towards us. I got to my feet to get a better luck leaving Lu to stand next to Drinian who sent me a smile nod in greeting which I returned.

I turned back to the fight just in time to see Caspian give a hard swing at my twin who dodged swiftly the great cheers of those watching. The two men stopped for a moment considering their next moves. The fight began again and the two of them spun around each other as though in a dance and each knew the steps perfectly. It was fascinating to watch.

Edmund swung wide and this time it was Caspian's turn to swerve out of the way and hurriedly stand back up to face his opponent. He struck at Edmund who blocked him at each turn. Then Caspian caught Edmund with a hard blow against his blade and with two hands on the hilt of his sword and swung his body around gaining the upper hand in a flash and though Edmund tried to regain it his tries were fruitless as Caspian ended up with his sword pressed against Ed's neck but then I noticed Ed had his against Caspian's! It was a draw!

The men began to cheer and I felt several patting my shoulder, "you brother is a fine swordsmen, lass!" I laughed and nodded in agreement with the smiling seaman.

The loud and excited cheers grew as Caspian and Edmund laughed letting their swords drop to their sides as Caspian grasped Edmund's shoulder in a brotherly hold, "it seems you have grown stronger, my friend." Caspian flipped his sword up an around in his hand. '_Show off!'_

"It seems I have," laughed Edmund, slightly out of breath.

I pranced down the steps on which I had been standing near Drinian who was staring around at his crew.

I came up behind Caspian and jumped on his back causing him to laugh and swing me around. Edmund laughed as well as he watched us quickly the men who were still standing around watching joined in at seeing their King so joyful.

"Impressive, but I think I can do better. Any volunteers?" I glanced at Ed, Caspian, Drinian and the crew. Many of them held uncertain looks, others had smirks and cocky expressions for all to see.

"I'll take that challenge."

Just as I had hoped, Caspian was going to fight me.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure? You must tired after your duel with Ed," I spoke in a slight taunting voice. I knew he wasn't going to back out but I could still have fun with this.<p>

"Trust me, I am well enough to take you on," he said with a little playful arrogance. I rolled my eyes at him childishly and sent him a small wink.

"It seems we have another challenge, men!" boomed the voice of Drinian from his spot above everyone.

A great enthusiastic yell exploded from the crowd around us.

"Hope you're ready to be beat by a girl," I giggled girlishly, over playing it for show. Caspian knew it too.

He sent me a small smirk, "we'll see. Would you like to borrow a sword? No staff this time, sweetheart." This caused a number of whistles and cheers from the men. I spotted Edmund glaring around at the men for a moment before return his hard stare to Caspian, impatiently.

I sighed over dramatically as I removed my staff from my back, "oh well." I send a small flirtatious smile at Caspian before flinging my staff up high above our heads to the sheer amazement of the on lookers, I kept my hand stretched above my head as I waited. I got many curious looks until a yell cried, "whats that?!"

I felt a coldness in my hand and I immediately closed my hand tight around it, letting my arm fall gracefully and slowly to my side and inspected what was in place of my staff. Gasps and whispers spread throughout the men watching.

In the place of my staff was a black sword, the hilt curved to fit my hand, the blade also black with gold engravings all the way up to the tip of the slight curved surface.

"I suppose this will have to do."

Caspian gave a mock bow and without a seconds hesitation struck forward with speed and strength. I dodged just in time, my body moving left but my sword went right, clashing with his. The yells and gasps from our audience drained away as we stared each other down.

I spun sharply keeping my sword tight and in control as I swung out. Clash! Caspian blocked, he swung out. I bent back, grabbing the blade of my sword with my free hand. Bending back further, my sword met the ground along with my hands and I flipped back onto my feet kicking Caspian's sword from his hand as I went.

There was a deafening silence.

We stood there facing each other. Caspian's eyes glanced at where his sword lay only about a meter away from him but it would be a risk.

5 seconds past. Caspian's hand gave a small twitch.

8 seconds.

10 seconds.

14 seconds. I blinked and he sprung.

Caspian lept across the wooden floor, sliding to the ground on his side, grabbed his sword and swung his body around, trying to knock me off balance.

I thrust my body into the air, flipping backwards. Using my magic to give myself a little more of a lift into the air.

I landed on one knee in front of him. We were once again on the same level of ground.

Caspian's leg came out of no where. I rolled to the side to avoid it. Caspian got to his feet in the mean time. He approached me again but I kicked my leg up as he bent down slightly, managing to get the back of his head as my legs spread out in an over split. Thankfully I was very flexible.

I sprung to my feet and took a chance, striking at his legs but he blocked. Went for the neck like he and Edmund had done, blocked. He went for my stomach but I twisted around him to stand at his back, causing him to look around in surprise at the fast movement.

He spun around. Strike. Clash. Spin. Blocked. Dodge. Swing. Clash. Swing. Dodge. Duck.

It continued, our dance seeming to never end until finally...

I swung around, Caspian anticipating the move stepped closer then I planned, my turn ended half way so my back was against his chest, his sword at my throat.

He leaned down and whispered in my ear, "I win."

I nodded slightly, his blade close to my throat but I knew he would never truly cause me any harm. I went to step away as his sword fell away but Caspian grabbed the fabric of my skirt pulling me back and spinning me around so I was back in his arms.

Disoriented from the sudden spin it took me a moment to realize that Caspian lips were on mine once more, beginning a completely different dance to the one we just finished.

If I wasn't out of breath and flushed a bright red from our fight I was after his kiss.

Loud cheers and cat calls finally reached my ears as I came back to the reality. Caspian's lips left mine finally and I heard Edmund groaning, "must you snog my sister in front of me. It's sickening."

I heard Ed give a cry of pain, Lucy must have hit him. I know I would have but I was still trapped on Caspian's arms.

"They're sweet," she exclaimed firmly.

Caspian and I laughed as we walked over to them. Caspian never removing his free arm from my waist.

"You my darling are an incredible swordswoman. Archery, swords and magic! Are you good with daggers too?"

I laughed, "only for close combat. Never throwing. That's Lucy's thing. I couldn't even hit a troll if it happened to be having a nap 5 feet in front of me. And if it did hit him, it would be the hilt and would bounce back at me."

"Alright, no throwing knives for you then."

"Good call," said Edmund, obviously recalling when I had tried throwing knives and daggers and had almost given him a new haircut.

"Alright! Back to work!" called out Drinian as all the crew went back to their jobs and choirs, talking and conversing over the recent entertainment.

Edmund had been given some water and was standing with Lucy drinking it greedily after his fight. I was offered one and I took it gratefully. Caspian took one also before kissing my forehead and going to speak with some of the men and most likely Drinian as I stayed with Edmund and Lucy.

"Edmund, Dawn," said Lucy taking our attention from the amazingly delicious water, "do you think if we keep sailing to the end of the world, that will just tip off the edge." She ended with a slightly nervous laugh. It was a valid point. Explorers used to think that back home, but this was Narnia completely different place. But then I remembered that beach I had been to with Orious and Aslan, the wave on the beach, it seemed to go on forever so I am guessing that was as one could go. Not that I said this to my brother and sister, I felt Aslan wouldn't have wanted me to speak of his country to them.

"Don't worry, Lu. We're a long way from there," replied Edmund soothingly. Just then that annoyingly irritating voice that had been silent for some time returned.

"I see you're still talking nonsense, the three of you."

I bit back a groan of annoyance at his reappearance as he walked over to join us at the edge of the ship. I settled my staff which had changed back by itself back onto my back while Lucy asked him kindly, "are you feeling better?"

Eustace leaned back with his arms crossed over his chest, still wearing his clothes from England, "yes, no thanks to you. It's lucky I have an iron constitution." I shook my head in disbelief, Lucy was just trying to be nice to him, something that Edmund and I were incapable of doing, not that we really cared. So far he hadn't shown any reason for us to be nice to him. Here was a perfect example, Lucy showing him kindness and he throws it back in her face, she was just too polite to reprimand him.

"Still as effervescent as ever I see," spoke Reepicheep as he appeared next to us, "find your sea legs?"

"Never lost them," he snapped back quickly, "just simply dealing with he shock of things." Edmund and I shared a look as we each took a large gulp of our water.

"Mother says I have a acute disposition, due to my intelligence."

I almost spit out my drink but managed to stop myself, Edmund wasn't so lucky and his water spilled out of his mouth all over his hand which was trying to stop it on reflex. Lucy was also trying hard not to laugh.

Reepicheep then said, "I don't think he has '_a cute_' anything!" I smiled around at Reep cheekily who was standing on the other side of Lucy.

Eustace had heard him and stalked closer to the mouse and exclaimed loudly, "I'll have you know as soon as we find civilisation; I'm contacting the British Consul!" As he spoke he walked around us, keeping a distance as if he was scared we would infect him with our 'childish nonsense'. I hid a smirk as I spotted Caspian making his way in our direction.

"Have you all arrested for kidnapping!" spat Eustace, he then turned not looking where he was going and bashing right into King Caspian himself who so happened to be much taller than him, an almost frightened look spread across his face.

Caspian smirked down at Eustace, "Kidnapping is it?" Half his hair was pulled back behind his head and he had removed his more Kingly clothes for attire more suitable for ship work and it suited him well.

"Funny, I thought we saved your life." Amusement was laced in his voice, his eyes twinkling with humor at Eustace's allegations against him and his men.

Eustace moved back quickly his head darting from us to Caspian, a look of utter disgust on his face, as though we were all gum on the bottom of his perfectly clean shoes that wouldn't come off.

"You held me against my will!

I moved over to Lucy's side as she giggled slightly into my shoulder and Reepicheep gave a loud "Ha!". Caspian also moved to my side, leaning against the side of the ship, his fingers playing with my skirt as he said in a playfully serious tone, "Did I?" Don't ask me how someone could sound playfully serious, but he pulled it off.

"In, what I say, the most unhygienic quarters. It's like a zoo down there!" I glared at Eustace, he had barely been in there a few hours and he wasn't even conscious for most of that when that 'zoo' was the place where the crewman lived while on this ship, yet they all seemed rather pleasant. There didn't seem to be an unpleasant man or Narnia among them.

"He's quite the complainer, isn't he?" spoke Reepicheep as he lounged back. Caspian chuckled next to me as his changed for playing with my clothes to fiddling with my hair, his hands touching the intricate braid at the back of my head and marveling at the complexities of it, his eyes squinted in confusion for a moment.

"He's just warming up," spoke Edmund and I as do just discussing how dull the weather was. We had grown far to used to Eustace's complaining by now, especially Edmund who had been forced to room with the boy.

Eustace glared at us, not only had we just insulted him but we used our 'twin speak' which he hated.

Suddenly a cry came from over our heads in the Crow's Nest, "Land Ho!"

Caspian immediately sprinted off, up the stairs to Drinian's side to get a better look at what was ahead. Just on the horizon was the outline of several Islands.

After a while of sailing closer, we were finally close enough to get a good look with a telescope.

Edmund, Tavros, Drinian, Caspian and I were all at the bow of the ship. Caspian opened the telescope and studied the land closely for a while as Drinian spoke to us, "The Lone Islands. The port of Narrowhaven."

I rolled my eyes at Edmund, I didn't want to be rude to the Captain but we already knew this. We were the High King and Queen of Narnia, The Lone Islands had been around in our time as had been Narrowhaven.

Caspian let the telescope fall to his side for a moment before passing it over to Edmund.

"Stange, not a Narnian flag in sight."

Edmund and I looked to him in confusion. Edmund raised the telescope to his eye while I pulled power from my connection to the Deep Magic to allow me to see farther, it took a lot of energy to enhance senses magically, thankfully my connection to the Deep Magic was stronger than it had ever been before. It seemed to grow with each trip we made to Narnia.

I saw that Caspian was right the whole Island was bare and not just of flags or signs but of people as well, it might have well been deserted.

"But the Lone Islands have always been Narnia's," said Edmund as he was obviously seeing what I was.

"Seems suspicous," stated Drinian and I definitely agreed.

"Whoa Dawn!"

I pushed the spell away, ending the power link from the Deep Magic, "what?" I asked my twin.

"Your eyes they were strange," spoke Drinian.

"She was using her magic to stretch her sight," said Edmund, "I hate it when you do that, its freaky."

I just rolled my eyes, "what do my eyes even look like when I do it."

"They go gold," said Caspian, "no pupil or iris just the white surrounding it and then gold. Never seen anything like it."

A thought hit me, "that's weird."

"Yeah, we know," said Edmund rasing the telescope again.

"Not that! My eyes haven't changed colour when I have used magic the past few years. If they did I haven't felt it. When ever I used magic my eyes used to change from blue to gold but now they don't, I wonder if it means something."

"Maybe you have grown stronger, you are able to hide your powers better and have more control of them," said Tavros speaking for the first time in a while. I nodded, it was a good possibility.

"A worry for another time, I suppose," I said, returning us to the matter at hand.

"I say we prepare a landing party," supplied Edmund cooly. I nodded, thinking that Caspian and Drinian would agree. Not noticing the two sharing a look.

"Drinian?" asked Edmund waiting for his thoughts.

The Captain turned to my brother, "Forgive me, your majesty, but the chain of command starts with King Caspian on this ship."

"Oh, right." I could feel Edmund's embarrassment and annoyance and I quite agreed he had been simply supplying an idea.

"My apologies, Captain, _Your Highness_, but my brother is well known for his skills in tactics and planning, he was simply providing a suggestion. He may be a King but just because he speaks his ideas doesn't mean that he is ordering it to be so. We are all free to speak and I for one, believe that his plan of action is quite a wise one and you would be smart to heed his advice. For the _fifteen years _that we ruled this land we spent much of our time on the ocean and have met similar situations and speak from experience, it would be wise for you to remember this when my brother or I supply you with our thoughts on a situation."

My speech finished, the three men and the Minotaur stared at me opened mouthed though I could feel pride and gratitude coming from Edmund. I had spoken in a calm, collected voice, not raising it or lowering it, speaking direct and with power.

Drinian and Caspian both gulped loudly before the Captain finally said, "I understand, Milady, I apologize to you both."

Edmund gave a soft click of his tongue to signal for me to connect to his mind to have a private conversation as we often did.

"_What was that?!" _I could tell he was surprised yet pleased.

"_I didn't like how you were spoken to as though your suggestions didn't matter, it reminded me of Peter from when we were younger and never stood up to him."_

_"It's just... I haven't heard you speak like that since we were back in the Golden Age."_

_"I wasn't crowned High Queen for nothing."_

Edmund smiled at me as I broke the connection just as Caspian spoke, "We'll use longboats. Drinian, pick some men and come ashore."

Caspian looked to us and his eyes stopped on me for a moment, a look of almost wonder on his face. I smiled, just glad that he had gone along with Edmund's plan.

"Aye."

We turned to leave. Caspian ordered, "Tavros." The Minotaur knew exactly what he had to do and boomed out across the deck for all the men to hear the orders.

"Man the longboats, furl the sail and prepare to drop anchor." The men immediately got to work doing just that.

Caspian took my hand as he lead us down back into the ship for more weapons and supplies.

"You still continue to surprise me."

I smiled up at him, twirling my staff in my hand as I sent him a small wink.


	3. Chapter 3

**This Chapter gets a little more dark than usual. Nothing too bad mainly just suggestions and talk, nothing truly bad actually happens. So don't be to nervous. Just warning you things will be a quite bad for our Dawn and her family.**

* * *

><p>The sun was setting behind us and a once beautiful sight was only adding to the worrying image before us.<p>

I sat squashed between Caspian and Edmund, Caspian's hand gripping mine so tightly that I was beginning to lose feeling, but I didn't ask him to let go or even to loosen his grip. Everyone was nervous and cautious of what was ahead in the unknown.

Everything looked run down and crumbling, completely deserted of all life except that of flocks of birds that swooped over head. I glanced over my shoulder to where Lucy and Eustace were sitting further back in the same longboat as us, Lucy gave me a strained smile, she was nervous too.

When the boats finally hit the land Reepicheep exclaimed excitedly which did not make me feel any better, "Onward, the thrill of the unknown lies ahead!"

Caspian helped me out of the boat onto land while Edmund got out himself and Lucy was helped out by one of the crewmen.

"Couldn't this have wait 'til the morning," complained Eustace.

"There is no honor in turning away from adventure, lad!" scolded Reepicheep.

"Listen," exclaimed Lucy.

We all stopped to look at her. A sudden coldness over took my entire being and I hurriedly began to rub my arms to heat myself up, forcing my magic to raise my temperature but it didn't seem to do much good, the cold only grew as well. I didn't like it.

"Where is everyone?" asked Lucy.

I shared a look with my siblings before tugging on the sleeves of my shirt and moving up next to Caspian quickly. I felt safer at his side.

"Come on, Jellylegs!" I heard Reep exclaim, obviously to Eustace as a second later I heard him state, "I am perfectly capable of doing it myself" followed by a thud and a muffled 'uff'. Eustace had fallen when getting out of the boat.

"And you're certain, he is related by blood?" asked Caspian in disbelief as he stared back at the boy who was gathering himself up off the ground on shaky legs.

"Unfortunately," I replied with a sigh as I removed my staff from its holdings and gripped it tight in my hand. Caspian nodded at my action and removed his crossbow from its place over his shoulder and began to walk a little more carefully into the city.

Before we got very far, a loud bell rang out from the center of the city alarming us and causing us all to jump in surprise. Caspian raised his crossbow just in case, while I took a firm hold of my staff in both hands. My staff was not only useful for magical fighting but it was a great weapon by itself if you trained in how to use it properly.

Caspian nudged me with his elbow, "stay close to me, no matter what." I nodded, hearing the seriousness of the situation in his tone.

"Reepicheep," he called, "stay here with Drinian and his men, we'll move on."

We began our way up a ramp that we hoped lead further into the city, Caspian and Edmund in the lead, with Lucy and I following, Eustace straggling behind.

"If we don't come back by dawn," he glanced in my direction, "send a party."

* * *

><p>It grew darker with every second that past and every step we took further into the city. Not a sign of life and not a single sound was heard other then the loud footsteps of Eustace from the very back of the group.<p>

The coldness I had felt earlier had seeped back in and had settled there leaving me on edge, my eyes darting everywhere, taking in everything. Not going to risk anything happening. And by the looks of it I wasn't the only one, my siblings and Caspian all seemed rather tense and paranoid by the silent surroundings.

It wasn't just quiet. It was deafeningly so.

We moved into what appeared to be a small square where off to one side was a large door into a monstrous building. It was an empty space, very grey and solemn. I didn't like it at all.

The sound of footsteps from behind us faded slightly then stopped, I glanced back and saw Eustace was staring in through a gap in some of the wooden planks on on of the windows.

Eustace dusted off his hands before waddling closer to us, though we were on the other side of the square so he called out to us pretty loudly which didn't help our paranoid feelings.

"It looks like nobodies in so you think we should head back?"

We glanced at him, annoyed. I rolled my eyes at him. He was such a coward. It didn't help that he looked rather stupid in his English clothes which just didn't fit in at all but I guess he felt more comfortable in them. I guess it must be a little hard for him, he was in an unknown place and he wasn't particularly fond of my siblings and I but suddenly we are all he has.

Edmund then called back uncertainly, "Do you want to come over here and..." he glanced at me but I just shrugged my shoulders.

"Guard something," finished Edmund. Caspian and Lucy looked at him strangely but went along with it. At least it might get him out of our way for a little while and not have to worry about him. Hopefully.

Eustace nodded at this idea and raced in our direction, "Ah, yes! Good idea, cousin. Very, um... logical." He stopped next to us expectantly.

I glanced at my siblings as we approached the large door. I looked then to Caspian.

_"Give him a small dagger, would you?" _I asked pleadingly in Caspian's mind.

He wasn't startled but gave a small nod and strided over to my cousin and handed him a sharp, thin dagger. He seemed absolutely amazed by the small piece of weaponry in his hand.

We all went to enter the large doors but Eustace called back pulling our attention away from it, "I've got it. I've got it. Don't worry!" Not that there was much chance of that.

I shuck my head before waving my hand willing the doors to open for us. Which they did with a loud creak. Eustace stayed behind to guard the door.

The building was huge, like a large cathedral. There were statues of what appeared to be Kings holding their own heads off their necks with their crowns still on. Large bells covered in dust and rust hung from the ceiling where we could see rafters that had broken or faded allowing a few cracks of light through. Windows high up on the walls on either side of the large room caused dozens of small beams of light across the floor. Not that it seemed to lighten up the room. In fact it was quite dark in here.

The only reason we could see anything was mainly because of Edmund's torch.

We all walked forward slowly and cautiously, still uncertain of what we might find.

"I'm ready to go when you are!" came the voice of Eustace from outside. I was almost ready to agree with him. I didn't like this place.

As soon as we had stepped through the open doorway, a mass of terror, desperation and sorrow hit me full force almost forcing me to my knees which was quickly replaced by feelings of greed, lust and sickening joy. I felt ready to expel everything that was in my stomach. But I forced it back and fought through these strange emotions that were practically bouncing off the walls forcing me to feel them again and again.

Whatever happened here wasn't good. I almost dropped my staff as I brought my hands to my head. Caspian, Lucy and Edmund rushed to me.

"What is the matter?" asked Caspian desperately.

"My magic.. it's picking up on something here. I can't... I can't fight it... So much fear... terror... pain and... _greed_."

"Greed?" asked Edmund.

"It's like feeling from two separate people, one is afraid, the other is enjoying their fear. I don't know why! What happened here?! What happens here?!"

I shuck my head firmly and continued forward, Caspian stayed close to me, almost stepping on my heels he stayed so close. Not that I really minded, in fact it felt better to have him near. Edmund and Lucy didn't stray far either. My warnings had made our nervous feelings worse and we were even more on edge than before if that was even possible.

Besides the statues and bells, there was only really one other thing inside the enormous room.

A podium covered in books and scrolls. One lay open, with a pen still tucked into the spine.

We leaned over it, there were lists of names, whether they were male or female, with strange symbols and numbers off to the far side. Most if not all were crossed out. Edmund kept the torch on the book so we could all read it, Caspian read over my shoulder which wasn't so hard as I was so short.

"Who are all these people?" asked Lucy. We all wanted to know the answer to that.

"Why have they all been crossed out?" spoke Edmund, another thing we wanted to know.

"I want to know what all the numbers are. There isn't any order to them, very few are the same. Its like they are all at random," I exclaimed shakily. The emotions were effecting me greatly and I was starting to feel like we were being watched. The hairs on my arms and neck stood up. I trusted my gut and knew something wasn't right here. Not just in that place but right there. Right now.

"Looks like some sort of fee," said Lucy but I didn't think so.

Caspian stepped in closer to me and pressed against my back, "Slave Traders." Of course it was obvious, why hadn't I figured it out. Maybe I had just been optimistic that slavery didn't happen in our Kingdom.

DONG!

DING!

We were all startled and forced into action as the bells above our heads began to rang out. We definitely weren't alone.

Dozens of men came down the many ropes hanging from the bells and ceiling, yelling and calling out as they did so.

"Look out!" cried Caspian as one man darted at Edmund. He then shot a man coming down one of the ropes nearby causing him to fall.

I sent a large blast in the direction of my attackers, trying hard to avoid Caspian and my brother and sister. We were practically surrounded. They were coming from everywhere, how had we seen them? Heard them?! Men of all shapes and sizes attacked from all sides and we were doing the best we could but we were all practically pinned to our present positions by the many men we each had to take on at once.

I was so glad I had trained with my staff as a weapon in itself as several of them got a little to close for comfort but a whack where the sun don't shine gave me a bit of an advantage. It was tricky to disarm one with a sword but surrounded by so many it was near impossible.

I managed to freeze several of their feet in ice to the floor, and sent a large arc of fire above my head to come swooping down upon them, causing several agonizing screams but I knew I couldn't falter or let this effect me. Several battles and wars had quickly taught me that.

I forced the end of my staff in a blade, slicing at those who came to close. I'm almost certain I cut off a couple of fingers from one man who had tried to grab my hair. Nobody touches my hair!

I sent a high kick into a man's face sending him to the ground before sending a blast of air behind me at and attacker coming at me from the back. I then quickly ducked as a sword appeared in my sight and swung my staff, knocking the man off his feet and binding him there with a quick spell.

The sounds of sword on sword got closer to me. It was Caspian, fighting over to me to help. It seemed most of the men had gone in my direction, seeing my magic as the larger threat but Caspian came in a close second with the most amount of attackers.

"AHHHH!"

A loud high pitched screamed echoed off the walls, halting all combat causing us all to look in the direction of the way we came in. Caspian quickly moved to my side, grabbing my waist from behind and holding me against him, his sword gripped firmly in his hand, while my staff was held in mine.

It was Eustace!

He was being held by a man in what appeared to be Arabian styled dress, all gold, with a turban and piercings many jeweled necklaces hung around his neck. He had a knife to Eustace's throat and he was looking at us each in interest.

His eyes stayed on me for much longer then I liked as he leered at me, looking me up and down, a smirk rising quickly.

He swung the door shut behind him before walking forward with Eustace, "unless you want to hear this worm squeal like a girl again, I'd say you should drop your weapons."

We all gazed at him in disbelief. This couldn't be happening. We were the Kings and Queens of Narnia and they were going to sell us as slaves.

"Like a girl?!" exclaimed Eustace. I have to admit it was rather brave of him as he did have a knife at his throat and even if it was to complain about being compared to a girl he still had talked back to the man.

"NOW!"

We all dropped our weapons in disgust and defeat.

"Eustace," growled Edmund. I knew Edmund was angry but there probably hadn't been much Eustace could have done to stop the man.

"Put 'em in irons," he then pointed to me, "keep your swords on her, witches don't need staves to do magic. Get the 'special' chains for her. We can see if they actually work." He said this almost gleefully.

Swords were placed at me neck while Caspian was pulled away from me and manacles were forced onto his wrists the same with Edmund and Lucy. They all tried to fight them off but it did nothing.

The man in gold, the leader, took hold of Eustace's ear and dragged him closer to us.

"Take these two to market!" he exclaimed motioning to Lucy and Eustace.

"Send those two to the dungeons!" Caspian and Edmund.

"Leave her with me, there is a special market for beings like her. She will make us all very rich, I'm sure!" This caused great laughter amongst the men. I tried to struggle as two men appeared on either side of me each with a silver cuff that was covered in carvings and symbols. They forced them on my wrists and...

"AHHH!" It burned. My skin was on fire. "MAKE IT STOP! CASPIAN! IT HURTS! It hurts..." my voice fading into a whimper.

The man in gold swagger closer to us, "the more powerful the witch, the more it hurts. We got lucky with this one boys. Seems this one is just full of magic itself." Another round of laughter, while I remained on my hands and knees, whimpering in pain and agony, that was quickly moving up my arms and poisoning my entire body.

3rd person

"LISTEN TO ME YOU INSOLENT FOOL! I. AM. YOUR. KING!" screamed Caspian in pure anger, his eyes black with loathing and disgust, his eyes darting to Dawn in fear and desperate worry. He struggled against the many men that held him back from attacking the leader.

Edmund began to struggle, trying to get to his sister, usually so strong now whimpering in pain on the floor. Sweat covering her skin, her eyes wide open. He was pulled back and... SMACK. His captor backhanded him across the face causing him to stumble slightly.

"You're going to pay for that!" spat Edmund.

"Actually.." A new voice was heard, and a man in even more luxurious clothes appeared, the corners of his lips turned up just slightly as he stared around at what his men had captured for him today.

"Someone is going to pay... For all of you."

Lucy was dragged away with Eustace toward the doors.

"EDMUND! EDMUND! DAWN! HELP ME! EDMUND!"

Edmund called after her desperately but it was no use.

Edmund and Caspian began to yell and scream as they were also dragged away, leaving Dawn on the ground with the two men in charge.

"NO! DAWN! LET US GO! DAWN! FIGHT IT!" Called Caspian as he was dragged away.

"YOUR STRONGER THEN THEM!" called Edmund before he was knocked over the head, unconscious.

* * *

><p>"Take off the cuffs but keep them close in case she goes out of line. We wouldn't want that. We need her to actually understand and respond."<p>

The two slavers leered down at the young girl who kneeled on the ground, her 'rightful place' as they put it. She was out of bright and her eyes were bright gold and they were certain that was no the colour they had been when the cuffs were originally put on.

The cuffs were removed but she was still in chains.

The slaver dressed all in gold stepped forward and hauled her up onto her feet.

"You will bring us a pretty penny won't you," he slurred as he looked her up and down once more.

"Careful with her Pug, she must be unharmed. From what the buyers can see at least." spoke the other man.

"Take her hair down Pug, I want to see all of her!"

Dawn felt large, grabbing hands pulling at her hair and she did her best not to wince as he pulled out strands from her scalp as he undid the intricate braid. It was hard enough to take the braid out normally but when its being forced by someone else's hand, it was quite painful but she fought through it. She had to.

Governor Gumpas smirked at her, she was beautiful and powerful. Someone would pay much to possess someone such as her.

"Pug leave us, check on your other catches while I deal with this one."

Dawn didn't show any emotion on her face and stared straight forward. All she could think about was the excruciating pain these men had put her through, then they had separated her family and taken Caspian from her. She may had not been able to respond but she had heard Lucy's, Edmund's and Caspian's cries. She couldn't help but wonder what kind of being would create such chains.

The sound of a door shutting told Dawn that she was now alone with this man.

"I am Governor Gumpas. I am in charge here."

She scoffed loudly, "the Lone Islands are Narnians, they follow their King."

"Not for many years, we broke away from Narnia, I rule here!"

Dawn spat at him, getting him right in the face.

"Spirit. Someone will have great fun tearing that down and breaking you. Which they will eventually. You will learn your place, girl!" he growled as he whipped the saliva from his cheek and eye. Back handing her, but lightly so he didn't leave a mark.

"A man will pay very handsomely for your kind, especially one as beautiful as yourself. You will do as he says or you will be punished."

"Never," she spat in disgust she would never give in.

"Oh yes," his sickening smirk of joy was back on his face as he began to circle her, "you will mend and sew if he asks. You will cook, if he orders it. You will follow his every command. When he orders you, and he will, to warm his bed you will do so without question!"

Dawn's face fell in horror. No, never. He couldn't mean...

"A pure and innocent witch. Now that is something I thought I would never see. Naȉve to the touch of a man, how tempting you are!"

"Don't call me a witch!" she spoke harshly but there was a slight tremor in her voice.

"But its what you are, my dear. So sweet, a girl of your age and beauty never layen with a man, though I'm sure that man you travel with, the 'King' as he calls himself, he wants to. Wants you."

"What?" was all she could say.

"Oh yes, I could tell, I watched you and him, his eyes following you, trailing lower at times, not very 'royal' of him but well he is a man, we have needs," he stopped right behind her, pushing her hair to one side to he could whisper in her ear, "I'm sure if he had his way you would warm his bed each night. Pleasuring you for hours while you return the favour. Is it love, my dear witch? Hmm?"

Dawn shuddered in disgust, Caspian wasn't like that. Was he? He was a man, she supposed, but he didn't think about that, did he? She wouldn't blame him if he had fleetingly thought of it but if it was more than that, what should she think?

"Sadly, he shall never have you. He and the other boy will waste away in my dungeon while you are to belong to another."

She darted around, her eyes set in a hard glare back to their usual bright blue, "I don't belong to anyone!"

"But you will."

* * *

><p><strong>The Dungeons<strong>

Caspian desperately kicked at the cell door. He had to escape, he had to. He had to save Lucy and Eustace. Save Dawn, who knows what they had planned for her. He had heard tale of Slavers and he knew what happened to beautiful, young female slaves and one with magic would abused all the more to keep her in line. He feared if he did escape it would be too late.

Kick

He couldn't stop thinking of the Dawns tear stained face, her skin covered in a thick sheet of sweat as she convulsed on the floor from the pain which he could do nothing put watch in agony.

Kick

He couldn't stop hearing her screams. Her painful agonizing screams. They would haunt his dreams for years to come, he never wanted to hear such a sound from her. She was his to protect and he had failed.

Kick

Movement out of the corner of his eye, Edmund was waking up.

"Are you alright?" asked Caspian to the younger boy, near man. Edmund rolled onto his side to look at him, "uh.. yeah." He got to his feet.

Caspian kicked the door again with as much force as he could muster, his anger fueling him.

"It's hopeless."

An older man's voice came from the other side of the cell, hidden in the shadows. Caspian and Edmund looked to each other before looking in the direction of the voice as it continued, "you'll never get out."

Caspian looked into the darkness curiously, the voice was slightly familiar, like from a dream or a memory.

"Whose there?" called out Edmund cautiously.

Caspian moved closer to check if his suspicions were correct.

"Nobody. Just a voice in my head," came the response from the man.

Caspian stepped slowly closer to the man, who leaned forward slightly so he was in the light. He was old, very much so, old and withered. Long, grey hair and beard showed he had been down there a long time. His old, wise and troubled eyes studied Caspian for a moment before widening in disbelief, he would know that face anywhere.

"Lord Bern." spoke Caspian. It was more of a statement then a question, he knew it was him.

"Perhaps once," said the Lord, "but I am no longer deserving of that title."

Caspian looked back at Edmund who then said, "is he one of the seven?" though he was almost certain but he needed to ask.

Caspian didn't answer, choosing to approach the old Lord and kneeled in front of him. The man studied him once more, Lord Bern was almost certain who he looked like.

"Your face, reminds of a King I once loved well."

Caspian gave a small smile as he replied, "that man was my father."

Lord Bern gasped and stuttered for a moment before gathering himself and whispering as he bowed to Caspian from his seat on the stones, "oh, My Lord. Please forgive me."

Caspian quickly rose, "no please" helping the man up onto his feet.

Cries were heard from outside and Edmund climbed up to love through the bared window. Lucy and Eustace who were chained to a wall with several others were also watching.

Dawn feeling the distress of her siblings from her place in a separate cell to her brother and love, connected with the mind of her twin not that he would notice and looked through his eyes. She was quite relieved to see Caspian with him, but she wasn't certain how long she could hold the spell, she was very weak and chained to a wall by her wrists which had already begun to bleed from the metal digging into her flesh.

From what she could tell, the 'markets' for her 'kind' were done at night and morning had already fallen so the Governor was off spreading the word of his wonderous catch.

A cart carrying several people drawn by horses moved across the dirt ground.

"Helaine!" It was the cry of a man, a man who was racing after the car reaching out for a dark haired woman who tried to grab his hand but was knocked back.

"Mummy!" Another voice joined the man's, it was a little girl with long dark hair, chasing after her father and her mother who was in the cart. The man was shoved down by a guard and lay on the dirt ground as his daughter stopped at his side.

"Stay with Daddy!" cried the woman, Helaine.

"Don't worry. I'll find you!" called the man determinedly.

Dawn then realized that Caspian had joined Edmund in staring down at the street below where they could see the slavers shoving people onto boats.

"Where are they taking them?" asked Caspian. He was replied to by a man Dawn didn't recognise or knew had been there, "keep watching." And watch they did.

The clouds over the water grew dark and menacing and lowered over them causing a threatening shadow over the water's surface. Then out of nowhere a sickly green mist appeared and trailed along picking up speed, growing and spreading.

The people in the boat and trashed and screamed but could do nothing, their boat was being drawn in. Dawn could feel its power, dark and evil. Tempting all who met it and taking them. She had felt something similar before, in Jadis. She wasn't much different to the mist. It was powerful and Dawn was terrified at what it would do.

The mist closed in on the boat and then the screams disappeared.

And so did the boat. The mist along with it.

They were simply gone. The clouds moved back to how they were before as though nothing had happened.

"What happened to them?" asked Caspian.

"It was a sacrifice." replied the elderly man.

"Where did they go?"

"No one knows."

Caspian climbed down as did Edmund.

"The mist first appeared in the East," began the man, "reports of fishermen and sailors disappearing out at sea. We Lords swore a pact to find the source of the mist and destroy it."

Dawn understood now he was one of the seven Lords.

"So they set sail. But none came back."

Dawn pulled back from Edmund's mind, her powers too weakened to continue. She glanced around her damp, isolated cell once more before passing out from exhaustion.

Back in the dungeons with Lord Bern, Caspian and Edmund, Lord Bern had just told them how if not sold to slave traders, you were fed to the mist.

"Then we have to find Lucy and Dawn!"

Caspian turned to Lord Bern a hard look in his eye that started the man slightly.

"Have you seen any sales of magical beings? Those with powers."

The man hesitated a moment before nodding, he had. He had awoken one night to shouts and had witnessed one, he had stayed up late for weeks after to see if there was another. There wasn't one for a about two months, those with powers or abnormalities were a bit hard to come by but much more expensive, only the richest and most powerful attended those sales.

"Aye. I have."

"What happens to them? Where are the kept? When do the sales happen?! You must know!"

"I do not know much. I've been in here all this time."

"Just tell me what you know?!" exclaimed Caspian desperately.

"They are kept in a separate cell, normally one that doesn't allow powers to be used inside, those that are powerful can find cracks in their charms but only small ones not big enough for them to escape. The sales happen at night, the buyers have to be notified if there is a sale as these 'special' beings are hard to come by. They attract bigger spenders, powerful men lusting for more power."

"We have to find her!" exclaimed Edmund.

"Who?" asked Lord Bern.

"My sisters, both of them. But especially my twin, she's an enchantress. The most powerful one ever. They saw her use her powers, she was separated from the rest of us."

"Then she is in much more danger than the rest of us combined. The men who are down there now to buy those poor souls are bad men but the ones that come at night are worse then the devil himself."

"We will save her! I swore to protect her and I will stand by that," exclaimed Caspian.

"I'm glad she has you."

Caspian turned to Edmund, the two completely forgetting Lord Bern who listened in interest.

"What?"

"It was hard for her when we left. All she could think about was you. Returning to you. I could see it in her eyes, she was fading, whether it was her magic or her memories of you, she was slowly being lost to us. She belongs here, I know that now. She belongs here with you and I won't stand in her way."

"If she chooses to stay here in Narnia with me. I will take her as my wife and she will be Queen. Again," he chuckled lightly.

"I hope she chooses to stay. She deserves to live a good life, with someone who will love her unconditionally."

"Is that your way of telling me I have your blessing to marry your sister, if she'll have me."

"I suppose so, yeah whatever. I kinda knew it was gonna happen. Whether I want it to or not. Might aswell do what makes her happy. You make her happy."

"And her me."

Lord Bern gave a small cough, "in love are we, My King?"

Caspian laughed before staring up at the window longing to be with Dawn again, "yes. I am. So lets hope we get out of here soon and save our companions so that I may make that proposal to Dawn when ready."

"Agreed."

* * *

><p>Outside Lucy and Eustace were being sold.<p>

Lucy had a sold sign already placed around her neck and stood off to the side in fear of what was going to happen and whether or not her brother, sister and Caspian were safe.

Eustace was now up for auction but no one was bidding for him and he was only making it worse for himself.

Caspian and Edmund came into view as they were brought to join them in the square.

Then a voice spoke, a familiar voice, "I'll take him off your hands. In fact, I'll take them all off your hands!" The figure threw back his large grey hood of his cloak to reveal Reepicheep and Drinian.

"FOR NARNIA!"

Yells filled the square as many other hooded figures removed and threw off their coverings to reveal the crewmen of the Dawn Treader all prepared for battle.

The Slave Traders immediately began to panic and tried to fight back, ordering their guards to help them. Caspian used the fight as a distraction for his captor and fought back shoving and kicking at the men around him on the higher ledge that led from the dungeons, he then shoved the man who had ordered them out off the edge of the ledge to the ground below.

Reepicheep had swiftly lept onto the stage and onto Pug who tried desperately to remove the mouse. While Edmund and Caspian kept their men busy and trying to avoid the many swords coming at them with their hands still in chains, Reepicheep and finished with Pug and had released Lucy who wasted no time in taking down several slavers and rushing to help free the rest of the slaves.

Edmund wrapped his chains around the neck of their jailor and called for Lord Bern to retrieve the keys which he quickly did so before hearing Caspian calling out to him, "Keys!" Throwing them across to him.

Eustace managed to free himself and quickly fled the scene.

Caspian and the others continued to fight but more and more men kept coming. The slaves now freed had joined in the fight as had several of the people who had been witnessing the sale. Suddenly the slavers fled and the battle was won!

The people lined the streets as they realized tat they were now free from torment. Drinian, Caspian and Edmund and Lucy, along with the crew strode through the street, desperately searching for Dawn. They were completely ignoring the cheers as they didn't have time.

Just as the cry of the man from before who had chased after his wife, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" More yells filled the streets followed quickly by the screams of the crowd who all began to huddle together in fear.

The slavers that had fled the field had returned.

"They just keep coming!" exclaimed Edmund.

"There's to many!" called Lucy as she was almost disarmed only to be saved by Reepicheep.

Pug watched gleefully overhead from an upper ledge and called out for all to hear, "It was foolish to think you could win, little 'King'! You are nothing but a little, stupid bo-."

Before he could complete his insult, the little man was sent flying into a wall, hitting it with a loud crack. Though there was no one in reach of him.

All fighting ceased as they all stared up at the man. The Governor had not shown his face at all so he was believed to have fled the island.

A bright light blinded everyone present causing cries of alarm and shock from all. It was like an explosion of power and wisdom flooded over them, sending each and everyone to their knees with many loud thuds! How could a being have such power, who could?

The people along with the crew of the Dawn Treader all looked up to witness who had stopped the Slave Trader Pug at last. The slavers who had attacked Caspian and his men were sent back by a large burst of air that seemed to only hit them and no one else no matter how close they had been standing. Then each man found himself unable to move any part of his body.

There walking calmly down a set of stone steps was Dawn. She was surrounded by a bright light, her skin covered in silvery swirls that seemed to almost dance along the revealed flesh. Her eyes were bright gold, brighter than any of them had ever seen. Her original clothes that she had worn were gone and replaced by a beautiful silver dress of flowing liquid-like silk that swirled behind her on the steps. The front of the dress stopped at her knees showing her feet were bare except for lace like slips over her shins.

Her hands were covered in black lace, her staff in hand. A golden and red jeweled circlet on her head, her ear had a dragon going through it and had a rhinestone chain bracelet on her right hand. Her hair flowing behind her adding to the powerful and mystical image.

"Impossible," muttered Pug as he somehow managed to get to his feet after regaining consciousness.

Dawn had hoped he would stay out a little longer. He must have had a hard skull.

"Let me set one thing straight."

Dawn disappeared and reappeared in a flash of light in front of Pug. Her voice sounded different. It was higher and even more musical than usual.

Pug staggered backwards away from the angel like figure. He held up a hand to help him see through the blinding white light that still surrounded her.

"I am no witch. I am not even an enchantress. I am **the** **Enchantress!"**

Pug nodded in fear before fainting.

There was a short silence while Dawn made her way down towards her brother, sister and Caspian.

The surrounding crowd watched on, some in fear, some in interest others were simply cautious. Dawn didn't blame them at all for showing any sign of fear. She had managed to take out all those men single handedly. But in fact she had barely been aware that she was doing it. One second she was inside her cell. Her magic pushing and forcing, desperately trying to break her out but to no avail, then suddenly she was lost in the power and it was like her magic had a mind of its own and took action.

Now here she stood looking around at everyone. The slavers had all been dragged off now, most likely to put them in a dungeon or jail until further notice. Lets see how they like it.

Dawn smiled at her brother and sister as she stopped in front of them.

"We were so worried," whispered Lucy as she rushed forward to hug her. Dawn eagerly hugged back and Edmund quickly joined in.

"We had no idea where you were being kept! We thought we would never find you, guess you found us."

Dawn laughed happily as she embraced her siblings.

No one in the crowd had yet to make a peep as they all watched waiting for their Kings reaction. Caspian stepped forward and Edmund and Lucy stepped away from Dawn.

"I failed you. That won't happen again."

All Dawn was able to do was smile and shake her head, she opened her mouth to speak but Caspian didn't even let her get ou one syllable before he had crushed his lips onto hers in loving, passionate and desperate kiss. One that he had been dying to give her. His hands placed firmly on either side of her face, holding her there, while her arms wrapped around his shoulders.

Caspian smiled into the kiss as he heard the cheers and applause from their audience. He picked her up off her feet and swung her around.

"I'm never going to let you go again," said Caspian as he held her against his chest.

"I don't want you to ever let me go, Caspian."

* * *

><p>Dawn's Pov.<p>

We continued through the city, I had apologized for Caspian's clothes that I had been using and had transfigured now being a fancy silver dress but he replied smugly that he was sort of glad they were which ended up with him getting a smack across the back of the head.

"Your Majesties!" It was that man again, hopefully we could hear him out. His little girl was close behind him as he approached us but was grabbed by Drinian before he got to close to either Caspian or I.

"Its alright, Drinian," called Caspian as the man was let go.

"My wife was taken just this morning," exclaimed the man while his daughter called out for him as she reached his side and grabbed onto his arm.

"I beg you to take me with you," said the man. Caspian placed his hand on the man's shoulder leading him along with us towards the longboats.

"I want to come!" exclaimed the little girl.

"No, Gale. Stay with your Aunt," forcing the little girl gently to let go of his arm but she just continued to follow us.

"I'm a fine sailor," continued the man, "been on the seas my whole life!"

Caspian glanced at me before nodding to the man and patting his shoulder, "of course. You must!"

Lucy and I stayed as the father hugged his daughter while her aunt watched on.

"Have I ever not come back?" asked the father to which his daughter shook her head before he kissed her head and then went after my brother and Caspian.

I looked to the little girl who was now being held tightly by her Aunt, "Your father will be fine, little one and we will do our best to bring your mother home to you." The little girl, Gale, pulled out of her Aunt's arms and latched onto me in big hug. I kneeled down and returned it.

"Be good for your Aunt, little one."

I looked to Lucy and nudged my head in the direction of the water where Caspian and Edmund were nearing.

Lucy and I rushed through the crowd until we reach Caspian, Drinian and Edmund again but just as we did, the man, Lord Bern approached now in better dress and caring a sword. Here was something slightly familiar about the sword and the magic that seemed to surround it.

"My King! My King!" he called out to Caspian.

We all approached him as Eustace joined us from wherever he had been, he stared at me in shock for a moment before looking back at the Lord. The rest fot he men went to preparing the boats while everyone else watched us.

"This was given to me by your father," spoke Lord Bern, "I hid it safely in a cave all these years." That would explain why it was encrusted with shells and sand now. But magic was still a part of it.

"That's an old Narnian sword," exclaimed Edmund.

"They are from your Golden Age, here are seven such swords, given to us by Aslan himself, to protect Narnia and her high Queen."

"Of course," I said, remembering, "don't you remember, Lu, Ed?"

They looked at me curiously.

"These seven swords," I exclaimed motioning towards the one in Lord Bern's hands, "were given by Aslan to seven of Narnia's most skilled and noble warriors as my protectors after that dark wizard took me from Cair Paravel. Aslan and I enchanted them ourselves. I never believed I would see them again."

"You are High Queen Dawn?" asked Lord Bern.

I smiled and nodded, "Yes, that is me."

"A true honor, My Lady."

"The honor is mine, My Lord."

"Your father entrusted them to us," Lord Bern explained to Caspian, "here take it."

"And may it protect you both," spoke Lord Bern as he looked from Caspian to me.

Caspian carefully took hold of the sword to the great joy of the on looking crowd of Narnians.

"Thank you, My Lord. And we shall find your lost citizens."

Caspian, Edmund and Lucy and I went to walk away but the Lord stopped me, "I apologize, My Queen."

I looked up at him curiously, "why ever so?"

"Us, Lords took something that I believe belongs to you from the Telmarine Castle on our journey. I am unsure where it is now."

I was even more confused now, what could they have possibly taken that would be so important as to be kept in the Telmarine palace all those years ago.

"What in the name of Aslan was it?" I asked with a slightly laugh.

"A book."

"A book?"

"A leather bound book. Filled with many spells and enchantments and potions."

"The spell book of Merlin." This spell book had been given to me by Father Christmas when we first arrived in Narnia the same time he gave me my staff.

"Thank you for telling me this, Lord Bern. But I must join my family and Caspian."

The man nodded and I turned to follow them just in time to see Caspian hand over the sword to Edmund and I could tell that Edmund was quite pleased with this. Who better to give the sword made in the Golden Age to but it's High King.

Once all supplies were on board, we were off back on the open seas.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Night fell across the ship and nearly all slept soundly. The odd sailor, including Rhince, were still on deck as needed but very few. The water was dark, almost black, reflecting the sky above it, though it was filled with glittering stars, a map from the heavens for sailors to navigate.

The Dawn Treader cut through the water soundlessly and gently. The water curling around the wood of the ship but was otherwise quite still.

The moon was bright over head, the only source of light, stretching across the dark, surface of the water and to the ship. It was almost full and would be so in a few days time.

Dawn gazed up at the stars and the moon, curiously.

Back during the Golden Age, Dawn read in an old scroll that the Stars that they saw over head could come to the land if they wished, some of them at least, and only for certain reasons. Otherwise they must always remain in the same spot. Unmoving.

Yet Dawn recalled the first time she ever showed Aslan her powers, she had willed the stars to dance for them. Had she forced them or did they do it willingly? She had always wondered and hoped one day to meet a star so she could ask those questions and several more.

She hadn't bothered to change yet, still wearing the silver dress that fell around her and moved gently in the soft breeze, her hair along with it. Her staff was back in Caspian's quarters which he had given up to Lucy and her to use while he chose to sleep with the men in one of the sleeping quarters further into the ship with Edmund and Eustace and apparently others such as Reepicheep. He had sworn that they would be comfortable there and that he would prefer if she and Lucy took his cabin as it was proper. Dawn had merely shook her head and laughed but went along with his wishes.

Lucy was back in the cabin, already fast asleep. Edmund, Eustace and Caspian had all retired to their quarters aswell. She supposed they were asleep.

Staring out across the water she began to sing, softly and quietly. The sailors still on deck fell completely silent so they could hear her voice as the wind seemed to carry it to all corners of the ship.

Down in the crew's quarters where Eustace sat writing in his journal on his hammock. He stopped writing for a moment to glare at the tail of Reepicheep which had fallen into his face from where the mouse was sleeping in his own hammock above him.

Just at that moment the musical voice of his elder female cousin drifted into the room.

"_In a perfect World,_

_One we've never known_

_We would never need_

_to face the world alone."_

Her voice was calm, beautiful and haunting and Eustace froze for a moment to listen to it. He had heard her singing back in England, especially when they first arrived as it helped keep her two siblings calm and relaxed but here it had an almost magical quality to it that made you almost have to listen. He had called her a witch earlier when he saw her use her magic to help some of the sailors. The look on her face was heartbreaking and Eustace was terrified that the sailors, the Captain Drinian and the King, Caspian were going to kill him. If looks could have killed, he would have been dead and buried a hundred times over in one second flat.

Edmund had set him straight, telling him how the term, 'Witch' was insulting especially when speaking of Dawn and even more so among Narnians who remembered the tales of the White Witch, Jadis. Dawn was to have no where near a similar title to a person who caused so much destruction. Eustace swore never to utter the word again if this was how it would end for him.

He was knocked out of his daze by the sound of movement off to his right.

It was the older man. The King. The one they called Caspian.

He may not have liked the man, or anyone on the ship for that matter but he was not blind to the stares and glances the man gave Dawn. His eyes were always practically glued to the girl. Eustace thought it all very improper of him. This man had to be in his early to mid-twenties and here he was ... lusting, yes that was the right word for it, after a girl of sixteen nearly seventeen. He had spotted Edmund glaring at Caspian at first but then the looks disappeared.

Eustace had a feeling he had missed something big when he ran from the battle with the slavers in the square. The King and his cousin had seemed a bit closer and he spotted many of the crew glancing and smirking at them, knowingly. But what they knew, Eustace didn't. He definitely didn't like not knowing. He may not like her very much, but she was still family and he wasn't going to let this man hurt her if he could help it. Not that he could really do much against the man. He was well over six foot tall and was excellent in combat in what seemed almost every weapon.

Eustace closed his eyes and leaned back, hiding his journal swiftly so as to appear asleep, while actually watching Caspian out of his just slightly open eyes.

He watched as the man slipped on his boots and a rich, red silk coat that was sleeveless with gold detailing along the collar and down both sides of the open front. He ran his hands through his hair a few times before quietly yet quickly making his way out of the room and up onto deck.

Eustace wasted no time in following him up there.

He hid himself from view but made sure he could see the King. He was watching Dawn as she leaned against the edge of the ship, singing. Who was unaware of his presence.

"_They can have the world,_

_we'll create our own._

_I may not be brave or strong or smart,_

_but somewhere in my secret heart,_

_I know,_

_Love will find a way,_

_Anywhere I go I'm home,_

_If you are there beside me – _Caspian!"

Eustace watched as the man walked up behind his cousin and wrapped his arms around her, placing his chin on her shoulder.

"Please don't stop, its been so long since I've heard you sing for me."

"Only if you'll sing with me."

"I.. I don't know..."

"Do you know the song? Its Narnian."

"I know it. After you left I did my best to learn as many Narnian songs and dances as I could."

"There you are then. Sing with me."

"As my Queen desires."

"_Anywhere I go, I'm home,_

_If you are there beside me,_

_like dark, turning into day."_

"_Somehow will come through,_

_now that I've find you."_

Their eyes met and they didn't look away as Dawn sang one more line.

"_Love will find a way."_

Caspian placed both his hands on her face, keeping her gaze solely on him. The men on deck were intently watching their King and the young Queen in interest and fascination. None of them knew this song. Eustace watched on, he had never seen such emotion between a couple, not even in his parents. Not even close. He wasn't too far away so he could see and hear everything perfectly but it was so quiet so no one had any trouble hearing anything.

The deep and powerful voice of the King came out and they all had to admit, the King could sing very well.

"_I was so afraid._

_Now I realize,_

_Love is never wrong_

_and so it never dies."_

Caspian caressed Dawn's face and when she tried to look away from his intent stare he placed on hand under her chin willing her gaze back to him as he sang to her.

"_There's a perfect world,_

_shining in your eyes."_

And then at that moment their two voices came together and none of them had ever heard something so beautiful and powerful, yet so gentle in tone.

"_And if only they could feel it too,_

_the happiness, I feel with you._

_They'd know,_

_Love will find a way._

_Anywhere we go, we're home._

_If we are there together_

_Like Dark, turning into day._

_Somehow we'll come through,_

_now that I've found._

_Love will find a way."_

_"I know Love will find a way."_

Even though the song was over, no one moved. Not an inch. If anyone had looked at them now it would have been hard to tell if even any of them were even breathing.

"Do you remember the day we left, just before we passed through the tree?" asked Dawn.

This confused Eustace and a couple of the sailors but some had been present and quietly explained.

"Of course. I'll never forget that day. Not a single detail."

Dawn became slightly nervous, "you mouthed something to me. What was it? I want to hear you say it."

This confused all onlookers and eavesdroppers. This was a little secret kept from everyone but each other. Their silent goodbyes when Dawn had left Narnia.

"I said, "I love you" and I do. I always will."

"I love you, Caspian."

The couple kissed, completely lost in each other and the ephoric feeling that their actions caused. It was sweet and gentle, filled with all the emotion they had said and more. All was still and peaceful and it made the two at ease in each other's arms.

"You must sleep, my love. We will probably have another long day tomorrow."

"You are right," spoke Dawn, "good night. Rest well, my handsome King."

Caspian gave a small smile before kissing her brow softly and then her lips gently before letting her go, "dream sweet dreams, my darling Dawn."

Dawn smiled as she headed off ot Caspian's – her's and Lucy's cabin. Eustace rushed back before he could be noticed and the crewmen on deck got back to work while their King also returned to bed for a much needed rest.

* * *

><p>While Eustace sat huddled away writing in his journal on deck the next morning, Edmund sat off to the side breaking off all the coral and shells from his new sword. Lucy sat sewing her new vest which Caspian had given to her. She had also offered to mend any other clothes so she had something to do to pass the time.<p>

Dawn was helping the sailors in their many choirs. She was quite experienced in sailing from her time in Narnia and she was highly interested in this slightly more advanced style but she picked it up easily. The many crewmen were quite impressed, including Drinian, who stood with Caspian above everyone looking at charts.

Dawn was no dressed in long, loose black pants with a bright blue off the shoulder shirt and a black corset with a golden leaf design. Her hair was beautifully braided across her head in a hair band. On her hands were beautiful black lace gloves and a beautiful rose ring. Around her neck was a simple blue choker and on her feet were a pair a brown buckled boots.

"-Does it come in a smaller size?"

Dawn looked up as she passed Reepicheep and her twin brother to see them marveling over the sword. She smiled at Reepicheep and exclaimed, "I'll see what I can do, Reep!"

The mouse's face lit up immediately at these words which made Dawn all the more happier at his excitement.

"Why you talking to that bird?"

It was a minotaur that had spoken this time. Tavros, Dawn believed and next to him stood, Alain, one of the crew. They were staring down in confusion at Eustace who sat between a bunch of barrels and sacks. On one of the boxes in front of him sat a seagull. He must have been talking to it, believing it could talk like Reepicheep could. Sadly though, most birds were unable to speak now. To Dawn, Edmund and Lucy, speaking to birds didn't sound strange at all, they had done it all the time in the Golden Age but now a days, it was unheard of as the birds were one of the first species to start losing their ability to talk when the Telmarines invaded.

"I just naturally assumed-" Eustace's confused stutterings were interrupted by Tavros' loud booming laughter which personally, annoyed Dawn quite a bit. She did not find it funny that birds could no longer talk. Alain next to Tavros also seemed quite amused.

Tavros looked to the man as he continued to laugh, "he's talkin' to birds!"

Alain smirked down at the boy below them, "he's mad as a lone, that one!"

"Yeah!" called Tavros as he slapped the man on the back a little to forcefully sending him into the bar in front of them with a soft 'emph'.

"Pardon me," interrupted Dawn as Eustace swatted away at the bird, "but I find nothing at all funny in this situation." She stared up at the Telmarine and the Minotaur above her who looked at her, their bright amused faces began to fall at the young Queen's hard tone.

"But your Majesty, he was speaking to a bird!" explained Alain.

"And why shouldn't he?"

"It's a bird, your majesty. They can't talk."

"They used to."

It surprised Dawn when a look of surprise appeared on their faces.

"In fact by not talking to the birds is what made them lose their ability to talk back. For all we know, these birds could understand us perfectly yet can not respond," spoke Dawn coolly.

She turned to where the seagull still stood, watching her intently. She stretched out her arm, "come here, precious."

The bird did as asked, drawn to her by here strong connection to the Deep Magic, landing gently on her arm.

She leaned forward bring her arm closer and whispered "its time for you to be heard once more," then she placed a soft kiss on the seagull's head.

The seagull flew off her arm in a flourish of white before swooping around her head as a deep laughter filled the air. The bird stopped in mid-flight in front of her and hovered there.

"Thank you, your highness, I can never repay this kindness. Maybe now my kind and all like me can become like we once were hundreds of years ago."

The men that had been around and had stopped to laugh at Eustace as stood, amazed at what they had just witnessed.

"Go on, I am sure you have places you wish to explore!"

And with another great burst of laughter, he was off into the air again, leaving them all gazing after the bobbing white figure.

Dawn smirked up at Tavros and Alain, "Learn your lesson?"

Before she heard any reply she turned away from, sent a wink in Eustace's direction before walking off to join her younger sister who sat beaming at her, having paused in sewing to watch her sister. Dawn shook her head, give her a sword any day and she was fine but give her a sewing needle and she would find some way to gravely hurt herself, she didn't know how Lucy did it.

The girls sat together giggling away for a while longer while the men continued their work. Eustace couldn't help but feel a sort of new appreciation for his cousin after she stuck up for him and after seeing her and Caspian last night, he was starting to think he had misjudged his fami- oh what was he thinking! They were all nutters, the whole lot of them.

* * *

><p>Dawn was happily chatting with Lucy who had stopped sewing for the time being, giving her fingers a rest. They were quietly discussing what had occured between Dawn and Caspian the night before, often breaking out into giggles or 'aww's mainly Lucy.<p>

There was sounds of a commotion going on and Dawn spotted Eustace rushing out from below deck with a sword in hand. He was clumsily running along, glancing back over his shoulder as he went and bumping into practically every crew member possible, even Tavros who threatened him to watch where he was going. Dawn got up to see what was going on and almost laughed when she spotted Reepicheep running alongside her cousin on the top of the ships edge.

"Trying to run away? We're on a boat, you know."

This made Dawn give a small chuckle but she could see that Eustace was terrified. She couldn't help but wonder what got him into this situation with Reep.

Reep was now facing Eustace with his sword drawn pointed at his chest.

"Look can't we just discuss this?" pleaded Eustace desperately trying to ease the mouse out of it's fighting mood.

Suddenly the mouse sliced down, cutting Eustace's shirt, "that was for stealing!" There were gasps from the on looking crew members and Dawn couldn't help but feel disappointed in Eustace.

"That was for lying!" Reep had then lunged forward and produced an orange which Eustace had been hidding.

Then Reepicheep hit him across the face with the orange still on the sword, "and that was for good measure!" Leaving his sword balanced over his shoulder, proud of his work. He got just what he wanted.

Eustace swung the sword in his hand. Reep dodged quickly and then jumped as Eustace went for his legs and jumped back across to the edge of the ship with a hearty laugh and an exclamation of, "now that's the spirit!"

"Now we have ourselves a duel!" exclaimed Reepicheep, "Catch!"

He flung his sword to the side causing the orange to fly off it in the direction of the entertained Captain Drinian who had halted the chart readings for the time being to watch while the King remained above them also watching in amusement.

Drinian caught the orange expertly and smirked as Reep turned back to Eustace. Reep seemed dead set on teaching Eustace to use a sword and there was nothing like a hands on experience to give him a heads start. He was related to the Kings and Queens of old he had to have some similar qualities.

"Now, come on," urged Reepicheep, "give it your best shot."

Eustace lunged forward but Reep merely jumped out of the way. Eustace continued to lash and swing but the mouse continued to jump, roll and dodge each attack, chuckling away as he did so. Finally the mouse had enough and exclaimed, "stop flapping your arms like a drunken pelican! Poise!"

Reepicheep then got into a dueling position with one arm curled slightly above his head with his sword at the ready. When Eustace hesitated, not completely sure how to proceed, Reep instructed, "keep your blade up! That's it!" The onlookers laughed as they watched everything play out before them. Dawn smiled as she watched, with some practice Eustace might actually become quite the swordsmen. It would take some work but she was sure there was potential there and it seemed Reepicheep could see it too.

Eustace attacked again but lost his balance and fell forward into the ships side barrier and Reepicheep lept forward and catapulted himself off Eustace's back with an excited yell. Eustace regain his balance and continued swinging clumsily, missing each time and even managing to get stuck in some of the wood that was attached to the ropes of the mast and sails.

"Yoo Hoo!" called out Reep tauntingly, "over here!" He sure did love putting on a show.

Eustace retrieved his sword from the wood and turned. He lunged forward and Reepicheep jumped down to the ground to teach him a lesson.

"Lunge with your left! Not your right!" He stung him with his blade in the shins but nothing bad just a nic before continuing while Eustace winced at the slight pain.

"Got it?" asked Reepicheep as he scurried back up on to the ship's edge, "come on! Be nimble! Be nimble."

Eustace faced him once more, making sure his feet were planted firmly this time.

"It's a dance boy! A dance!"

Eustace attacked Reepicheep again, lunging the sword straight and with strength each time Reep continued to dodge but still encouraged him.

"That's right! That's right!" cried Reepicheep excitedly before suddenly he 'lost his balance' and fell backwards off the ship with a cry of "oh no!" Eustace rushed forward and leaned over the side looking for any sign of the little mouse.

Dawn smirked to herself, as did most of the crew who noticed as Reepicheep appeared next to Eustace's head and used his tail to tap him on his far shoulder causing him to foolishly look the other way giving Reep the advantage he needed to jump on his back and force Eustace onto the ground. Knocking a basket over as he went to the loud cheers and applause of the crew who had stopped to watch but it all stopped as they realized a young female scream had come from the basket Eustace had knocked over when he fell.

"Look," exclaimed Lucy as her and Dawn approached the basket together to see small pale hands reaching out and a young girl crawling from inside the basket.

"Gale?" came the surprised voice of Rhine as he saw his daughter, "what are you doing here?"

Everyone gathered to see what had just been revealed and the young looked quite nervous and stared at her father waiting for him to do or say something as she remained quiet.

Rhince quickly moved forward, "come here," he said as he embraced his little girl.

Drinian made his way forward, looking quite intimidating as he pushed through the crowd towards where Gale was clinging to her father's side.

He stared at her and Rhince for a moment before exclaiming, "looks like we have an extra crew member." Everyone aboard smiled at the kind hearted captain and watched as he held out the orange that Eustace had stolen to Gale who looked quite hungry and she took it cautiously.

Lucy and I smiled at each other before moving over to face Gale, each of us smiling kindly and welcomingly down at her to make her feel a bit better in this strange place.

"Welcome aboard!" spoke Lucy happily.

"Looks like we won't have to protect your father for you now. I'm sure you will do a much better job," stated Dawn making the girl blush a little as she gave a small curtsy and an exclamation of "your majesties!"

Lucy smiled down at her, "call me Lucy and this is Dawn!"

Dawn beamed down at the little girl before stretching out her arm for her to take which she quickly did, hugging herself against the High Queen's side.

"Come on," called Lucy as she led the way down to their quarters.

Back on deck, Eustace had retrieved the sword from where it had fallen and was distracted by Reepicheep talking to him, "good match! I'll make a swordsman of you yet." Eustace smiled proudly to himself but the look quickly faded as he shook himself and went back to his original ways and exclaimed, "well yes, if the playing fields were a little more even... it would have been an entirely different result." He then quickly departed while Reepicheep laughed to himself, "indeed."

* * *

><p>It was almost three more days until they reached any sight of land again. It appeared to be very green, it looked nicer than the Lone Islands had on first sight anyway.<p>

"It looks uninhabited," stated Caspian as he stared across at the island through his telescope, "but if the Lords followed the Mist east, they would have stopped here."

"Could be a trap," advised Drinian from Dawn's left as they all stared at what they could see of the island from this distance. Dawn didn't bother using her magic to see farther. There didn't seem to be much to see according to Caspian that they couldn't see already. If there was anything there, it was further in out of their sights.

"Or it could hold some answers," supplied Edmund from Caspian's right.

"Caspian?" asked Edmund waiting for his say.

The elder King looked down at Dawn, "you've been quiet."

"We could always do with more supplies. This place looks like we could find something that would help and if there is a chance of one of the Lords being here or them passing through, I say we take that chance."

Caspian nodded to her logic and shut his telescope handing it to Drinian, "we'll spend the night on shore. Scour the island in the morning."

"Aye, your Majesty," replied Drinian.

Caspian, Dawn and Edmund made there way down the stairs to make preparations for going ashore.

After about another hour everyone was ready and boarded the longboats to go to the beach.

Once there, they all set about making a large fire and setting up sleeping areas. Caspian had Dawn set up her matt next to his, "if something happens during the night it will be better to have you near me," was his explanation. She just smiled and went along with him.

Lucy was off to the side, a bit away from them with Gale. Besides a few of the many who dawdled around the fire before going to bed, Lucy and Dawn were the two of the last to fall asleep as they had both stayed up reading. Dawn had placed her staff next to her on the sand as she fell asleep, leaving her book down next to it.

She turned over onto her back and was slightly surprised when she felt a warm, large hand take ahold of hers. Opening her eyes she saw it belonged to Caspian who was smiling in his sleep.

"Dawn," he mumbled.

Dawn thought for a second that he might be awake but quickly realized that the King talked in his sleep, unlike several of the surrounding men who were snoring rather loudly.

"My wife..." he continued to mumble, "he's perfect. My son."

Dawn froze, Caspian was dreaming of them having a family. She couldn't help but think of it herself now that her sleeping King had put the thought in her head and she fell asleep dreaming of handsome sons with tan skin and bright blue eyes learning to fight with their father while pretty young girls that looked the perfect mix of her and Caspian secretly watched, learning everything as well.

It grew darker and all of the crew were fast asleep on their mats.

Large footsteps appeared in the sand, though whatever was making them was unable to be seen, completely invisible.

"Seems they brought a pig," came a hushed voice of one of the invisible creatures. He was referring to Eustace who was snoring louder than most of the crew put together.

"This one!" came a whispered yell to the others, "its female." He was standing over Lucy who was in a silent peaceful sleep.

"So's this one," spoke another on the other side of Gale.

"There's one over here too!" came another hushed voice from next to where Caspian and Dawn were sleeping.

"This one reads," exclaimed the one over Lucy, opening her book and flicking through the pages.

"So does this one and she has a magic staff!"

This sent the mass of silent invisible creatures into a quiet frenzy.

"MAGIC?!"

"Shh!" "Quiet!" "You'll wake them up!" came many cries from the others.

"Sorry," mumbled the creature.

"Lets take them both!" exclaimed the creature standing over Lucy.

The creatures swarmed the two girls lifting off the ground, taking a bit more care with Dawn as they didn't want to wake the man that was sleeping next to her.

Dawn and Lucy were forced awake to a hand being placed over their mouths and lifting them up into the air, bobbing along as they moved. Whatever held them captive, they couldn't see them. Dawn growled behind the hand that covered her lips, her magic staff was still back in the sand. All Dawn had was her hand magic and Lucy only had her dagger.

They were carried from the beach and into the surrounding forest, their fellow crew members completely oblivious to their kidnapping.

The two girls were carried through the forest, each one trying desperately to escape and remove the hands from around their mouths. It was pointless to even try. Dawn tried to use her magic but she could barely even get out a muffled whimper. Without speaking or using any part of her body to direct the spell, not to mention she had no clue what they were up against, there was nothing she could actually do.

Finally they broke free from the trees that had been constantly wiping the girls in the face and over the head, arriving in what appeared to be a very large, well kept garden. The grass was cut into many intricate patterns and the hedges were all trimmed and molded into different shapes.

The two sisters were dropped without warning onto the ground. Both landed heavily on their backs side by side, the wind completely knocked out of them leaving them disoriented for a few moments. They quickly crawled backwards, hopefully away from their captors but as they couldn't see them it was impossible to tell.

Dawn got to her feet and wrenched up Lucy from the ground who hurriedly with shaking hands managed to unsheath her dagger from its place on her hip but it was quickly knocked from her hands.

Dawn ran to get it while Lucy was knocked back by the creature which had most likely was the one to knock away her dagger. Dawn was also shoved back onto the soft grass next to her sister just as her fingers grazed the cold metal of the blades hilt.

"There is no escape," spoke one creature, the voice dark and deep.

"Well put!" called a second, this one didn't sound threatening or dark, just normal and over enthusiastic.

"Scary!" called another, chuckling to himself.

"What are you?" inquired Lucy as she stared around at the nothingness that surrounded us.

"We are terrifying beasts!"

"If you could see us I bet you would be really intimidated!" This was met with voicings of agreement of the many other surrounding creatures. There appeared to be loads of them by the sounds of things.

Dawn rolled her eyes. They didn't sound scary at all and seemed to be talking themselves up so as to scare them. They were trying to hard to come across as 'terrifying beasts'.

"I doubt it," she commented.

"Silly little girl, he forgot to mention that we are _very large_!" called another new voice.

"What do you want?" asked Lucy, nervously. Dawn placed a hand over her sisters, able to tell that her little sister was scared, not a lot but she was scared of the situation. They couldn't fight what they couldn't see.

"You two! You'll do what we ask!" called the first voice, his voice was starting to sound as though he was forcing it to sound threatening, making it sound rough and harsh.

"They will!"

"Very clear!"

"Well put!" Came several of the voices again, they seemed set on commenting on every little thing said.

Lucy and Dawn got to their feet, still holding hands.

"Or what?" asked Dawn darkly.

"Or... death!" exclaimed a voice.

Lucy grasped Dawn's arm as they both gasped in shock, looking around. All they could see were some bursts of breath from the cold air.

"Death, death, death, death, death, death, death!"

"_Death, Death, Death, Death, Death!"_

_"__**Death, Death, Death, Death, Death-**_"

"Well, we wouldn't be much used to you dead, now would we?" asked Lucy boldly. She had quite a point and they knew it.

Lucy and Dawn felt a bit smarter and braver, glaring and smirking around them at what cornered them.

"Hadn't thought o' that," remarked the first voice, who was obviously the leader.

"No, you hadn't," replied another hotly.

"Alright," came a rather crazed and upbeat voice,"then we'll just kill your friends!"

Lucy and Dawn's faces fell immediately, they didn't feel so confident anymore.

"Good idea!"

"Don't forget little Miss Magic's lover! That man she slept next to!"

"Yeah, don't forget him!"

"What do you want with us?" asked Dawn in defeat. She wouldn't let them hurt Caspian or Edmund or Gale or anyone from the crew.

"You will enter the house of the _**Oppressor**_."

Dawn and Lucy were shoved forward a few steps but there was no house.

"What house?" asked Lucy, her face showing her defeat as she gave in to their demands.

"This one."

Then right before their eyes, two doors opened revealing a golden light inside where they saw a front hall with a large staircase.

"You would think we would have gotten used to such strange things by now. But this is definitely strange," remarked Dawn as she stared at the open doorway that seemed to be just sitting in the middle of the garden's path. There was a front door and an inside but there still wasn't a house to go with it.

"Upstairs you'll find the book of incantations. Resite the spell that makes the 'unseen seen', Little Miss Magic should have no problem with that." Dawn rolled her eyes and muttered to herself in annoyance, "they could have just asked me to do that in the first place."

"Well put, chief! Well put!" complimented one of the creatures.

Lucy and Dawn walked from either side of the doorway, getting a good look. The front hall was quite large but once you walked past the open entrance you could look behind it into the garden, there was no house! How was it possi- Magic! Always magic. But still, you can't help but wonder sometimes.

"Well, go on! We haven't got all day!" complained one of them.

Dawn glared over her shoulder at where she had heard the voice come from, "it's night time if you hadn't noticed. Sunrise is not for like another hour at least."

"Oh just get going! You've been warned!"

"Why don't you do it yourselves?" demanded Lucy as she also stared back at them as we stood in the middle of the doorway.

"We can't read," explained the leader.

"Can't write either as a matter-of-fact," added another.

"Why didn't you just say so?" asked Lucy.

"Would have made everything a whole lot simpler," agreed Dawn.

"Beware the oppressor!"

"He's very oppressive!"

"Oh, I'm sure he is," commented Dawn to herself.

"What makes the Unseen Seen! Got it?"

"Don't forget!"

"Don't forget that!"

Dawn and Lucy had had enough of their chatter and strode through the doorway and into the large well lit, yet dark entrance hall. The doors sealing shut behind them. Lets just sat it was a very large mansion even if there was no sign of an actual house on the outside. It was like a full on maze. It was going to take ages to find the book.

* * *

><p>Caspian awoke back on the beach, the sun was rising and a couple of the men were also just getting up. Caspian found his hand to be slightly cold, like their had been something warm there. Looking to his side he saw where Dawn had been sleeping next to him. Her matt, pillow, book and staff still there. But where was she. He sat up and rolled his shoulders, trying to get his body awake and moving.<p>

Getting to his feet he looked around for Dawn. She wasn't anywhere in sight. She wouldn't have gone anywhere out of sight without her staff. It was then that he noticed the large footsteps that moved around their camp, even all the way over to where he and Dawn had been sleeping.

Caspian quickly shook Edmund awake, "Ed, Ed. Wake up." Edmund quickly got to his feet and saw the footprints too and then noticed, "where's Lucy?"

"Dawn's gone too," stated Caspian nervously.

"Lucy! Dawn!" yelled Edmund for his sisters.

"Everybody up!" ordered Caspian.

"Up! Get up, I say!" ordered Drinian when he heard the desperate cries of the Kings looking for the two Queens. Caspian quickly went about setting his armour and weapons in place while also studying the tracks. Edmund was racing around in search of his sisters but came up with nothing.

Caspian leaned down and grabbed Dawn's staff from where it lay next to his matt before calling out, "this way!"

He raced off with most of the crew, including Edmund and Drinian following right at his heels. Rhince grabbed Gale, he was so worried, yet glad that they hadn't taken his little girl. He urged her along after the others while the rest of the crew caught up as well, each with their weapons. Eustace remained fast asleep throughout it all, snoring as loudly and as piglike as ever.

* * *

><p>The halls were long, dark and silent. The only noise was the sound of Dawn's and Lucy's footsteps which seemed to eco off the surrounding walls. Everywhere was black, green and gold, all of it resulting in a rather creepy, mysterious atmosphere.<p>

Lucy began to move towards an open door which seemed to lead to a library. They could just barely make out a wall of books and a pedestal with one book set upon it.

Dawn, feeling the nervous feelings coming from her little sister in waves reached forward and grasped her hand tightly, though she was also feeling rather unsettled by the place.

Moving forward hesitantly past many arches that led to large, black doors on with side of them the two girls continued on into the large library.

It was very open with lots of floor space, nearly every wall covered in shelves containing books, scrolls and manuscripts. Nearly all of them going up to the ceiling, off to one side of them was a rolling ladder that was obviously used to reach books higher up, there were several of them placed along the bookcases.

Dawn, drawn by the feeling of slight power that seemed to be almost pulsing, strode towards the pedestal. On it was a closed book but the cover was just a bunch of jumbled up letters scattered across it. Lucy had joined her and tried to tug at the book's clasp at the side but it wouldn't budge.

Lucy continued until she sighed, "Dawnie, you're the one with magic. Do you know what to do?"

Dawn gave her sister a look but Lucy shrugged before stepping to the side a little to give her sister a bit more room.

Dawn glanced around the book at the pedestal and noticed the many carvings and detailings on it. There were what appeared to be a cupid in each corner, blowing a gust of wind. Dawn had a strange feeling about them and gave a small wave of her hand, releasing some of her magic into the air. Together the two cupids seemed to actually come alive and they blew their gusts of wind across the top of the pedestal.

"Maybe that's how it opens, you blow," spoke Lucy but she seemed to be talking to herself more than Dawn. Her sister her smiled at her before turning back to the book and took in a deep breath before blowing it out across the book's cover and immediately, it too came to life.

The letters rearranged themselves and intricate vines appeared below the title and in the top corners.

It was the _Book of Incantations_.

"I thought I recognized this book and its power," exclaimed Dawn in amazement.

Lucy looked at her curiously, "what is it?"

"This is mine. This is the book Father Christmas gave to me when we first arrived in Narnia. Remember? Lord Bern told me the Lords took it, so they must have come through here."

A wide smile spread across their faces before they both eagerly turned back to look at the book. It had been so long since Dawn had seen the book as it hadn't been in the vault last time they were there. She knew most of the spells in it anyway but she had never heard of the one the creatures had been discussing. She had added her own spells before during the Golden Age, maybe others had done the same as the book had been passed through different hands over the years.

Lucy moved closer again and managed to remove the clasp this time and together we turned the cover over onto the first page. Dawn smiled as she saw the many beautiful, familiar images and golden designs and caligraphy.

There were so many spells, she had to contain a laugh when she noticed the 'Forgetful Spell' Edmund had accidentally used that one once when he was looking through the book and decided to read aloud to see what would happen. All of Dawn's family had a tiny bit of magic so they could do little things but they never lasted long, Peter had been with him and by Edmund saying the spell he had caused Peter to forget where or even who he was. The Pevensie children had great fun with it but it faded after a few days, though the teasing last a bit longer.

Lucy then turned a couple more pages and found two completely black ones, one was bare while the other held the incantation. It was to create snowfall, this was one of Dawn's favourites and it had been how she had always created the snow falling effect at the winter celebrations at Cair Paravel during their reign.

"_With these words,_

_Your tongue must sew,_

_For all around there,_

_To be Snow." _Dawn smiled as she listened to Lucy say the incantation. They then looked to the bare page as only a second later a small delicate snowflake landed on it and melted into the page.

To Lucy's amazement and both of their delight, more snow began to fall around them and in only seconds the ground and everything else, besides them and the book were covered in a beautiful, crystal white blanket. Snow began to fall into their hair and the two beamed around as they spun slowly to see to see the full extent of the magic spell.

Lucy and Dawn shared a wide grin before Lucy turned back to the book and gave a big blow to remove all the snowflakes and immediately the pages flickered forward rapidly. Seeing no end to it Lucy slammed her hand down on a page. Dawn's eyes widened as green mist oozed from between the pages. Dawn watched it cautiously while Lucy looked the other way. All the snow was gone now, the spell having broken.

"An infallible spell to make you she, the beauty you've always wanted to be," read Lucy but Dawn didn't hear her.

Dawn's mind was completely clouded as she was bombarded with the temptings of the mist, _"power! It's all here. You can rule! No one will ever make you leave again! No one will ever show disrespect! They will all bow to you and your greatness, all you have to do is want it. Speak it and the world can be yours." _Dawn's hands shot to her head as she forced away the dark thoughts, _"I will not become Jadis!" _Dawn spat out the name of the white witch in her mind and with it the dark thoughts were gone. She gave a sigh as she tried to regain her breath and her strength, it had taken quite an amount of power to expel whatever had tried to enter her mind and control it.

While this had been happening Lucy was being entranced by a spell that Dawn had never written into the book of spells. The picture of the beautiful woman on the next page faded away to reveal a mirror. Lucy looked at her reflection in disappointment until suddenly it disappeared to reveal Susan.

Lucy was quite confused, "Susan whats going-" but she stopped, she had moved as she had, Susan's lips moving with her words. Lucy was shocked as she began to realize, "-on?"

She brought a hand to her cheek, completely oblivious to the struggle of Dawn only feet away from her. The girl in the mirror copied her movements.

"I'm beautiful," gasped Lucy. She darted her head around, Dawn was leaning back against a bookshelf her eyes closed and she seemed to be breathing heavily but Lucy ignored her. She raced over to the door and gazed into the glass at her reflection, she looked normal, not beautiful like she looked in the book. She darted back over to it just in time to see her beautiful reflection for a moment before it melted back into that of the picture of the woman. Lucy slammed her hand down on it, "No! Wait."

Lucy's eyes searched the page desperately, spotting the incantation at the top of the page in small golden writing she began to speak, "make me she.." but seeing that the spell continued on at different sides of the pages at different angles making it hard to read resulted in her tearing the actual page out of the book.

Lucy and Dawn were awoken out of their troubles by a loud roar. Dawn's eyes shot open as she spotted the pages of her spell book once again fluttering forward rapidly.

"Lucy!" called Aslan as he tried to recall her from her temptations, "Lucy."

Lucy gazed around trying to spot the Lion but he was nowhere to be seen, "Aslan? Aslan?!"

Dawn closed her eyes for a moment more as the voice of Aslan filled her head, "_beware the mist, it will tempt your heart and mind. Do not give in. You must stay strong, my Little Lioness."_ Dawn sighed, she felt relaxed again and it was a welcomed feeling.

Dawn saw the shocked look on Lucy's face but she didn't notice the folded up page of the spell tucked under her tunic. Lucy and Dawn grabbed each other's hands again as they wet back to the book, it had stopped on just the page they needed.

"A spell to make the unseen seen," stated Lucy. Lucy gave Dawn a nod, urging her to do the spell instead of her.

Leaning forward, Dawn began to read, her voice a lot more controlled and steady than Lucy's had been when she read aloud.

* * *

><p>Back outside, Caspian and Edmund had followed the tracks into the forest and had continued forward until they reached the exact green space where Lucy and Dawn had been brought too. Thankfully the creatures left large footprints and didn't seem to be able or smart enough to cover their tracks.<p>

_"Like the P in Psychology, the H in Psychiatry."_

Each man kept a weapon in their hand, prepared for almost anything that could attack them, well almost anything.

_"Invisible ink and the truth in theology."_

"Caspian," called Edmund though quietly incase there were any unfriendly beings around, "Lucy's dagger." There on the grass was Lucy's small dagger. Edmund picked it up and showed it to the other King who had quickly moved to his side to inspect the find.

Not a second later, spears came out of nowhere and embedded themselves on either of Caspian and Edmund. Everyone shot to their feet and began to dart around looking for their attackers, weapons raised as more spears flew through the air and forcing the crew to huddle together so as to avoid them.

"Stop right there or perish!" yelled one of the invisible creatures. Caspian's sword was taken from his hand, he quickly went for his dagger but was tossed around and thrown to the ground along with Edmund who was hit across the face and sent to the grass.

_"The spell is complete. Now all is visible."_

Dawn and Lucy looked around in shock as the nearest rolling ladder moved by itself and then a clear figure appeared, as though made of water, the figure stepped off the ladder and dropped a book onto the floor before moving on.

Lucy and Dawn watched on in fright as the figure disappeared again before suddenly they could make out an outline and then, a whole man. He had short, greying hair with a short beard and was wearing dark brown robes and was flicking through a book as he walked towards them. He didn't seem to have noticed them yet.

He must have sensed something was off as his eyes rose slowly from the page he was reading first settling them on Lucy, his eyes widening, before looking to Dawn and immediately collapsed onto one knee in a low bow.

Caspian on the other hand was lying back on the grass outside gazing around at their invisible attackers.

"What sort of creatures are you?" he inquired.

"Big ones," stated one gruffly, "with the head of tiger and the body of a... um.."

Caspian got to his feet, he could sense something was off but he still could only barely see their outlines and he and his men were unarmed bt these creatures were not.

"A different tiger!" exclaimed another.

Caspian and Edmund shared a short look.

The creatures began to throw away their swords, "you wouldn't want to mess with us!"

"Or what?" demanded Edmund bravely.

"Or I'll claw you to death!" At that moment the creatures became visible one by- wait no, two by two. They were all scruffy looking creatures with only one big foot instead of two normal ones like them. They were all standing one on top of the other in twos to make them seem taller by their voices coming from above. The one that did most of the speaking had scraggly red hair and beard and was holding a staff with a rounded padded end on each end.

"Or run my tusks right through you!" exclaimed another who didn't look any scarier than the first. It was all rather amusing to the crew of the Dawn Treader as they each inspected every new pair th revealed itself. Rhince who had been desperately clinging to Gale to keep her safe slackened his hold a little as the young girl gave a small giggle which only he, Drinian and a couple of the men heard.

"Or nash you with my teeth!" exclaimed a rather fat one.

"Or I'll bite you with my fangs!" called a short one with a big nose before giving a 'frightening' growl.

"Or squash us, with your fat bellies," spoke up Edmund calmly, realising they weren't in nearly as much danger as they had originally thought.

The creatures all seemed rather confused, "fat bellies?" They all began to look at each other quizzingly.

"Tickle us with your toes," said Caspian confidentially as the creatures all began to fall down.

Some of the men quickly gathered the weapons while Caspian laughed and Edmund rushed forward, sword drawn, "What the hell have you done with my sisters, you little Pipsquick?!"

"Now calm down," exclaimed the creature that Edmund was threatening.

"Where are they?" he demanded angrily.

"You better tell him," called over one of the others.

"In the mansion," stated the creature that lay on the ground at Edmund's feet.

"What mansion?" asked Edmund quite confused, there was no sign of any mansion nearby.

Out of the corner of his eye, Edmund saw a few lights. Him, Caspian and the other men all looked as before their very eyes, a beautiful and enormous mansion appeared.

"Oh, that mansion," stated Edmund in amazement.

At that moment Eustace pushed his way through the trees as he neared finding the group he had heard voices and guessed this was where they were, he was rather annoyed.

"You know I'm getting rather tired of you all leaving me behind!"

The creatures all looked at him and exclaimed, "It's the pig." "The pigs come back!"

Eustace didn't like that but when he caught sight of what had said it he said, "this place just gets weirder and weirder."

It was then that Lucy and Dawn exited the mansion following behind the man in brown robes.

The creatures all immediately hopped away in terror all exclaiming loudly, "The Oppressor!"

"Lucy!" cried Edmund.

Dawn was slightly hurt when her own twin brother didn't even check to see if she was alright but Caspian was quick to take her mind off it, "oh, Dawn. You had me so worried." Dawn quickly moved towards him, he placed a soft hand on her check before looking curiously at the man that the girls had brought with them.

"Your majesties," said the man as he gave a small bow.

"Caspian and Edmund," spoke Lucy, "This is Coriakin, its his island."

Edmund and Caspian each gave a bow in return to the man.

"That's what he thinks," exclaimed a creature, poking his head out between Caspian and Edmund, "you have wronged us magician!"

Coriakin quickly began to walk forwards causing all the creatures to quickly hop backwards away from him.

"I have not wronged you. I made you invisible for your own protection."

"Protection?" exclaimed the leader. The continued to call him out and call him 'the Oppressor'.

"I have not oppressed you," spoke Coriakin coolly.

"Could of! If you wanted to!" stated the leader.

"Be gone!" exclaimed Coriakin as he threw something at them and they quickly fled.

Lucy who had followed after Coriakin went with him as he returned to speak once again with Caspian and Edmund, where Dawn still was at Caspian's side as he was not letting her out of his sight.

"What was that?" asked Lucy as she watched the creatures leap around in terror.

"Lint, but don't tell them that."

"What were those things?" asked Eustace, the question everyone wanted the answer to.

"Dufflepuds," stated Coriakin before he waved his hand for Caspian, Edmund, Lucy and Dawn to follow him. They were followed also by Drinian and Eustace.


End file.
